


Cursed Hearts

by Current521



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Angst with a Happy Ending, But not with our main cast because fuck that, Dumb/uncomfortable implications of mind control, F/M, Mind Control, No real violence happens but I probably get too explicit with injuries in the first chapter, Slow Burn, multiple POVs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:20:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 22,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23610697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Current521/pseuds/Current521
Summary: Ted breaks curses for a living. He just has a bad habit of getting involved with curses he can't risk breaking.Charlotte is an empath, and she likes working at the hospital, likes her husband Sam. Likes the dark-haired man that comes in one day and keeps talking to her, even if she doesn't like what he tells her about Sam.Sam is proud of a lot of things, even things he shouldn't be proud of. Like Charlotte, his wonderful wife, and the way he's not exactly controlling her, but still gets to keep her.
Relationships: Charlotte/Sam (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Charlotte/Ted (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Sam/Zoey (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals)
Comments: 180
Kudos: 56





	1. Ted

**Author's Note:**

> Magic AU yo, I hope all of this makes sense, worldbuilding is hard

Ted snuck down the hallway to the room in the centre of the building. An old mansion; what was it with necromancers and living in creepy old abandoned places, anyway?

It wasn’t important; the stone with the main spell was in that room, and he needed to get to it. He was half-faded, so he shouldn’t be seen except by those who knew he was there.

“Ted?” The voice in the back of his head belonged to his coworker Paul, who was on maps. “You’re gonna have to be careful.”

“I know,” Ted thought back. “I know how to break a curse Paul, it’s been six years.”   
“Just be careful. They’re waiting for you.”   
“Oh fuck.” Ted flattened himself against a wall; he should be mostly invisible like this, he figured. He wished, not for the first time, that he had bothered to learn how to fade properly, instead of just this half-transparent stuff. “Why am I here? Why not a proper magic user?”   
“You’re the curse breaker,” Paul replied calmly. “All the magic in the world can’t shatter that stone.”   
“No well, at least you’re telepathic,” Ted thought back. “Why do I get curse breaking? Why couldn’t I just be a sorcerer?”

“Just go get the stone, Ted.” Being a telepath usually meant that people were very good at putting tonality in their inner thoughts, but somehow, Ted had had Paul butting into the back of his head for six years and he’d never heard him sound anything other than mildly uncomfortable. Then again, he hadn’t heard him sound any other way out loud either. “I can hear you, you know,” Paul thought.

“I know, leave me be.” Ted continued down the hall. “I need to concentrate.”

Unfortunately, concentrating wasn’t Ted’s strong suit. He crept down the hall as slowly as possible, listening for anyone coming down the hall. But his thoughts kept slipping away, thinking about various other things, the girl who’d given him his number the night before, his annoying colleagues, and Paul butting into his brain every few seconds to tell him to concentrate wasn’t helping, which Ted let him know as vocally as he could in his own brain.

He made it to the door before he was discovered. “What have we here?” The voice belonged to a woman, who was looking at him from inside the room. “A badly faded cursebreaker, eh? Well, we’ll see what happens to you.” She flicked her wrist and Ted felt his limbs lock.

“Fuck,” he managed out loud before the paralysis reached his face. “Paul? I need help,” he thought. “Can you even hear me?” There was no response. “What a time to leave me alone,” Ted thought sourly as he was being carried inside.

“Well well,” the woman said, setting him down. “I thought cursebreakers were required to be able to fade completely before being sent on missions.” She flicked her wrist again, and the paralysis abruptly ended.

“Normally yes.” Ted looked at the stone and snapped his fingers, and the stone shattered. “But when you can break from a distance, it doesn’t matter much if you’re discovered.”

The woman screamed, a high-pitched whine that shattered the windows and then several bones in Ted’s body, before she finally fell over.

“Paul?” Ted thought. “Can you hear me?”

“I hear you loud and clear, what happened?” Paul replied immediately.

“Stone’s shattered. So are all the windows and several of my bones. But the necromancer is dead, or at least she’s on the floor not doing anything. But I’m gonna need some help here.”   
“Of course, I’m sending Bill in immediately.”   
Ted managed to groan out loud at the mention of his colleague, but immediately regretted it; his ribs were in splinters. “Hurry, this is gonna puncture a lung soon,” he thought at Paul.

Bill came in a few minutes later. Ted hadn’t moved at all. “You’re a mess,” he said, putting his hands on Ted’s shoulders. “You’re gonna need some serious rehab after this.”   
“Yeah, just get me up.” Ted could feel his bones turning to jelly and then hardening, more or less in shape now, and no longer in danger of puncturing any vital organs. He hated the feeling of magical healing; pain and jelly. “Thanks.” He got to his feet; the pain wasn’t gone by any stretch of the imagination, but he could move. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Let’s go.” Bill walked off. “Cleanup will be in soon. You need to work on your fading.”   
“I know that.” Ted really wasn’t in the mood to talk. “Just get me to a hospital, someone needs to put me under, I am  _ not _ feeling my bones healing again. It’s awful.”   
“Well would you rather I’d left you?”

“No.” Ted looked down at himself; a lot of his bones had healed wrong, so he was misshapen and odd. One foot was practically crumbled up, his collarbones were different lengths, his ribs were crushed inwards. It wasn’t a pretty sight. “I’ll never get used to this.”   
“There’s an ambulance waiting outside,” Paul thought to him. “Cleanups are also on site now. Just get out and they’ll put you under.”   
“Amazing.” Ted wanted nothing more than to collapse in an ambulance and be put under while his bones were reset.

He got to the ambulance and was helped inside by two nurses. One was Melissa, who he knew quite well from previous jobs. “Hi.” He tried to smile at her.   
“Don’t smile, your teeth are shattered,” she said. “What did you do this time?”

“I can’t fade properly,” Ted replied. Now that Melissa had mentioned it, he could feel shards of his teeth missing. “God, this is worse than usual. That must’ve been one hell of a scream.”   
“It was a scream?” The other nurse, whom Ted hadn’t met before, looked concerned. She was extremely pretty, with auburn curls and big blue eyes, now turned on him. She put a hand on his cheek. “How can you hear?”   
“It was pretty loud.” He smiled at her, lips closed. “Hey, you’re new aren’t you? Haven’t seen you before, what’s your name?”

“I’m Charlotte.” She kept a hand on his cheek and kept looking concerned. “I mean, how can you hear me talking now? Your eardrums are practically gone.”

“I don’t know.” Ted shrugged. “Is it important to talk to me? I’m in a lot of pain.”   
“Of course.” The nurse — Charlotte — smiled and took her hand away. “Here you go.” She injected something in his arm, and Ted fell unconscious within a minute, still looking at her. He noticed, just before passing out, that her pupils were jagged.


	2. Charlotte

Charlotte was technically done with patients after she’d asserted what was wrong with them; empaths were an extremely effective diagnostics tool, but not much use for actually healing. But this man who had been brought in from a necromancer’s mansion intrigued her. Her colleague, Melissa, told her about him; his name was Ted, he was a cursebreaker, and he got injured quite frequently, enough that they usually didn’t bring empaths for him. Charlotte just happened to have come along on this one.

She was happy she had when she sat at his bedside after his healing, waiting for him to wake up. There had been some kind of anomaly, so there needed to be  _ someone _ there, and Charlotte had volunteered. As an empath she’d be able to tell pretty easily what was wrong, only a telepath could do better, and the hospital services didn’t pay enough to hire telepaths.

He blinked awake a lot earlier than expected. “Oh hi,” he said. “Wauw, you’re pretty.”   
Charlotte laughed. “Thanks. Are you okay?” She put a hand on his cheek and reached out; post-healing pain, but nothing significant out of place. Except those eardrums. “You should really get your ears checked.”   
“I can hear you just fine.” He smiled. “And I’m happy I can.”   
She shook her head at him. “What’s your name?”   
“Ted, but you can call me—”   
“I need your full name,” she interrupted. “I’m just checking if your brain works.”   
“What a shame.” He grinned. “Theodore Anthony Richards, but you can call me Ted anytime.”   
“Alright Ted.” She checked his heartbeat, still with a hand on his cheek. “You’re in an awfully good mood for how much pain you’re in.”   
“I’ve got a pretty woman fussing over me, I’ve been worse.”

“You seem to be fine, save the pain, but that should fade.” She drew her hand back. “I would recommend getting some more sleep, though. And you’re gonna need a fair bit of time in rehab.”   
Ted nods. “You’re an empath, then?” He’d dropped the flirty grin and actually just looked curious. “I usually don’t see empaths.”   
“Yeah, I know.” She smiled a little despite herself. “I just happened to be out, and someone had to stay with you when you woke up.” She put a hand on his cheek again, just to check; his heartbeat was up, and quite a bit, at that. “What’s got you so excited? Your heart’s a hummingbird.”   
“You.” The flirty grin was back. “I’m a young man, a pretty woman shows concern for me, my heartbeat goes up a little. Don’t mind it… Unless you want to?” He raised an eyebrow.

“Don’t you know it’s bad manners to flirt with your nurses?” She raised an eyebrow back. “Besides, I’m married.”   
“That makes sense.” He looked at her for a few moments. “I’m guessing your spouse is a sorcerer?”   
“How did you know?” Charlotte took a step away from the bed. Sam was, indeed, a sorcerer, and she didn’t like that this young cursebreaker apparently just knew that.

“He’s controlling you.” Ted shrugged. “Okay, I should stop that, it hurts. Anyway, your pupils are kind of jagged on the edges, which happens when a person is repeatedly under the influence of a control spell, like those used by sorcerers. I see them a lot. I can break it if you’d like.”   
“No.” Charlotte turned around. “No, I— I love Sam, he’s not controlling me, I chose to marry him. In fact, I asked him if we could get married, it was my idea. He’s not controlling me.”

“Sure.” Ted’s voice had an edge to it, like he was challenging her. “Go look in a mirror, look at your pupils. They’re more ruined than most I’ve seen. How long have you been married?” He was almost conversational with the question.

“Twelve years,” she replied softly. She walked to the mirror at the side of the hospital room and looked. “My eyes look fine.” She couldn’t keep the relief from her voice, not that she really tried. “Perfectly round and normal.”   
“Figures,” Ted muttered. “Twelve years. Your vision should be blurring. When did you start wearing glasses?”

“I don’t—” Charlotte stopped herself. “Four years ago. Contacts, and they're not strong yet, but it’s fading. It’s just age, it happens to everyone.”   
“Yeah, when they’re forty.” Charlotte looked at Ted, and he continued. “You’re what, thirty?”   
“Thirty-three.”   
“Yeah, well, still. Not old enough to be losing your vision just yet, certainly not four years ago. He can make you see whatever he wants, including that your eyes are fine. Makes sense he’d do that when he knows you work in a hospital, I’m hardly the first cursebreaker you’ve met. Anyone could see that you’ve been controlled for years, honestly I’m surprised it took your vision eight years to give out.”

Charlotte walked back to him and put a hand on his cheek, focusing on his eyes. They were fine. She wanted them to be off, wanted it to be him unable to focus. “You might just be tired,” she said. “A healing like that can take a lot out of you, possibly something that I can’t even feel. If your eyes are tired you can see things that aren’t there. You should rest, I’ll get someone in here to give you some anaesthetic.”

“No don’t.” Ted reached up and put a hand over hers. “I’m fine. And I mean it, you’re being controlled. So maybe it’s not your husband, it could be someone else I suppose, but someone’s controlling you. Just say the word, I can have it broken in seconds.”

“You’re in no shape to be performing magic,” she replied, drawing her hand back. “You need to sleep, and I need to leave. My shift is almost over, I’m going home. To my husband.” She needed to remind herself as much as him, she realised, which was almost scarier than the idea that Sam could control her, even if she knew he wasn’t. He wouldn’t.

“Alright.” Ted shrugged, then immediately winced. “Go then. But I’ll be here for a while if you change your mind about breaking that curse.”   
“I’m sure.” Charlotte smiled. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”   
“See you then, Charlotte.”   
“See you then, Ted.” She left without another word.

Sam wasn’t controlling her, he wasn’t, she knew he wasn’t. He was a sorcerer, yes, and he could control people, yes, but not her. It wouldn’t be necessary to control her; she loved him, and he knew that. It would have made no difference.


	3. Sam

Sam had done many things he wasn't proud of, but Charlotte wasn't one of them. Charlotte was beautiful and unique, and completely his. It was quite a feat in sorcery circles to control someone without taking away their free will, and especially for so many years, but Sam had done it, and easily at that. He suspected it was because Charlotte already loved him, but there was no reason to mention that; it was a lot nicer to just believe that he was that skilled, and it wasn't a stretch.

Charlotte came home a few minutes later than usual that night. "Hi honey." She smiled when he came to greet her in the hall.

"Hello." Sam kissed her. "You're a bit late, what happened?"

"Oh, it's nothing." She shook her head. "Just a patient who was a little stubborn. I'll tell you about it later."

"Of course." He took her hand. "You'll need to cook, of course." A small pulse of magic through her wrist took the sting out of his words.

"Yes, of course." She smiled and kissed him. "We have leftovers, it shouldn't take long."

"You're the best." He let her go.

Charlotte reheated some leftovers, and they were sat at the table within minutes. "So," she said as she put the food down. "How was your day?"

"Boring." Sam smiled at her. "I didn't get called in at all, so I've missed you."

She smiled softly. "I've missed you too. I had a patient try to flirt with me today; very charming, but it just made me miss you." She averted her eyes for a second; a coincidence, Sam assumed. "He held me up for a few moments, though."

"Oh. How come?"

"Oh, something about my eyes." Charlotte waved her hand to dismiss the thought. "He said my pupils were jagged, but they looked just fine to me. Cursebreakers, they think they know everything. He was just delirious, it was quite a healing."

Sam smiled, but it was forced. If someone had realised that Charlotte was being controlled, even if it was just some unlucky cursebreaker, he'd need to make sure she didn't believe it. "Your eyes look just fine, baby."

"I know, Sam." She smiled.

"Did he say why they'd look jagged? I don't think I've heard of that before."

"Oh, something about control." Another dismissive wave. "Apparently if someone is under a sorcerer's control long enough, their pupils start to deteriorate, did you know?"

"I didn't." Sam shrugged the lie off. "It must be for really long then, I've never noticed, but I usually don't do anything for more than a few minutes. Or maybe he misremembered."

"Probably." Charlotte mimicked his shrug. "It's not important, but he wouldn't let me leave until I'd checked my eyes. They're fine, by the way, so even if he's right about why the jagged pupils appear, he's wrong about me having them, look." Charlotte leaned over the table, holding his eyes.

Sam met her eyes calmly; the pupils were almost gone, she'd be blind before their 20th anniversary, he realised. "Just fine," he said. "As beautiful as the day I married you." He kissed her; that last bit was true enough, the jagged edges didn't put Sam off at all, but saying it was just to make her smile.

It worked; she even blushed a little. "Oh Sam. I love you."

"I love you too, baby." He put a hand on her cheek. "I need to do a little bit of work, are you gonna be okay by yourself?"

"Of course." She smiled. "I'll clean up."

"Thanks." He kissed her and went to his study. He needed to keep Charlotte, and he needed to make sure no besotted cursebreaker took her away from him. He just couldn't run that risk; he loved her, and she was his, and his alone.

He lit a candle. It was an unnecessary piece of theatricality he'd picked up from his boss; he was perfectly capable of casting spells without fire, but he liked the candles. Charlotte got him scented ones, with lavender, like her perfume. He liked being reminded of her.

"Jagged pupils," he muttered to himself while clearing the room. "I'll show him jagged pupils. I'll show him to flirt with my wife."

It was a simple spell, which was what made it so brilliant; Charlotte wanted to please him. This was not an overshadowing desire, it wasn't even a particularly strong spell, but it was enough for her to stay with him and do everything she could for him. But because it wasn't overshadowing, no one noticed; so what if she was a little more in love with her husband than most, no one could begrudge her that, Sam figured. He didn't make unreasonable demands of her, just whatever, and she did it. But she had her own free will; she had gone to work at the hospital, even though Sam rather saw her staying home, but he couldn't risk anyone taking note of that. She would stay out late sometimes, even when he asked her to come home, because he didn't ask like  _ that _ . And she would, apparently, humour an injured cursebreaker who said her husband was controlling her, and that he couldn't accept.

It didn't take long. Just a slightly stronger hold, just enough to make her turn down attention from other men. Then he took time to check in on another couple of spells he had running, just to fill out time. It was easy enough; Sam was a talented sorcerer.

He went back out to Charlotte when he was done. "Sorry about that, but I'm all done now." He went to kiss her. "We can spend the evening together."

"Lovely." She smiled and put her arms around him. "I love when you're home."

"I know, me too." He pulled her close. "We had so much time when we were young, where did it all go?"

"You've gotten poetic," she said teasingly, kissing his cheek. "It's nice."

He smiled at her. "I can be poetic if you wish." He kissed her properly. " _ How do I love you? Let me count the ways. _ " He laughed. "But I think  _ I love you _ will do for now, don't you?"

"I think so." She was smiling. "I love you too."

Sam let her go and walked over to their couch. "Come sit with me. Remember when we used to watch TV together? It's been too long."

Charlotte sat next to him. "It has." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "We should do something nice together soon."

"This is nice," Sam replied, gently putting two fingers on her wrist. "This is the nicest night we've had in a long time." A gentle pulse of magic, barely noticeable.

"It is, of course it is." Charlotte smiled. "I couldn't imagine a better night than watching TV with you."

"Me either." Sam kissed her hair. "I love you Charlotte."

"I love you too, Sam."

That night, when they went to bed, Sam pulled Charlotte close. He normally didn't hold her when he slept, but magic was so much easier when you were touching, and he could stay awake to let it flow into her.


	4. Ted

Hospitals sucked, in Ted’s opinion. Not just in the usual ways of sterility and the smell of sickness, but the amount of magic in those places made him sick. Not all cursebreakers were sensitive to magic, but Ted was, and he could feel it all around. Healers, sure, and paramedics, but so many other things, too. Sorcerers controlling people, for whatever reason, minor utility spells, and reapers. Ted fucking hated reapers; they were good people, but the feeling of their magic in his head was uncomfortable, like a migraine that never properly developed, but was always on the edge of being debilitating.

He perked up when Charlotte came into the room. “Hi Charlotte.” He smiled at her. “I didn’t expect to see you again.”   
“Why not?” She smiled back and walked over. “I work here, I’m doing my rounds.” She put a hand on his cheek. “Hmm, you have a headache, that’s concerning.”   
“It’s just the reapers.” He stared at her eyes for a few moments; something was off. Still jagged around the edges, but something was off. “They always give me a headache, fucking magic sensitivity. It’s terrible.”

“Oh.” She kept a hand on his cheek. “Is there anything we can do to make that better?”

“Usually not.” He kept staring. “Your eyes are off. Are you wearing contacts?”

She took her hand away and averted her eyes. “Yes, I always am. I don’t like glasses, they get in the way, especially if I’m on ambulance duty.”   
“Ah.” Ted kept looking at her. “Something’s different, though. Met with any sorcerers recently?”   
“My husband is a sorcerer, as I told you.” She checked the heart rate monitor; unnecessary, Ted knew, she could take his pulse through touch.

“Yes, you did.” He suspected she was trying to avoid him. “But you said he wasn’t controlling you, so someone else must be. Has that ever occurred to you?”   
“Sorcerers don’t need to see you to control you,” Charlotte said, then looked abruptly guilty. “Which you would know, I suppose.”   
“I know.” Ted reached out for her anyway. “Charlotte, can I ask you a question?”   
“You just did.” She looked at him now.

“Yes, but another one.” He laughed a little. “I… This is out of line, but you’re being controlled. I can see it, and I can feel it. You reek of sorcerer, and you’re clearly an empath. Maybe it’s your husband, maybe it’s someone else, it doesn’t matter. Someone’s controlling you, and I can take it away with a snap of my fingers, all you gotta do is say the word. Will you let me?”

“You’re not strong enough to do any magic yet,” she replied. She put her hand on his cheek again. “This headache concerns me, are you sure you didn’t get a knock on the head yesterday?”   
“I had several of my bones shattered by a screaming necromancer, but no, my head feels fine. I know the difference between a reaper headache and a concussion.” He put a hand over hers. “Seriously Charlotte, just say the word, okay?”   
“I’m afraid there’s not much we can do about the headache,” she said instead of answering. “I need to continue my rounds, but ring if you need me.”   
“I will.” Ted held her hand a little tighter. “Charlotte, will you do me a favour?”   
“What’s the favour.” She didn’t draw her hand back.

Ted smiled. “Come by when you’re done. I am desperate for intelligent conversation.” It was a lie, but he hoped it would get her back.

She shook her head. “I need to get home to my husband. But perhaps another time, you’ll be here for a while.”   
“Alright.” Ted loosened his grip on her hand, but didn’t quite let go. “Wait, what’s a while? How long?”   
“A week at least,” Charlotte replied. Her eyes lost focus for a moment. “Possibly more. You’ll need rehabilitation after this.”

Ted groaned. “I’m gonna have this headache for a fucking week? There’s no way I can be let go early, is there?”   
“I’m afraid not.” Charlotte took her hand away. “I’ll be off. See you tomorrow.”   
“See you tomorrow.” Ted looked after her. He kind of wanted to just end the control over her, whether it was her husband’s or someone else’s, but he also wasn’t gonna risk it. Damn cursebreakers and their rules, he thought. In theory, the idea of consent was a good one; it meant that people didn’t break a curse that was just a weirdly rigged medical choice, or shut down the entire justice system. He knew the rules, and he knew why he would lose his powers, but he hated it. He saw people unknowingly under a sorcerer’s influence far too often, and he always wanted to free them, but he never could.

He couldn’t sleep. The reaper headache was still pounding at the base of his skull, and for some reason, he kept thinking about Charlotte. It wasn’t unusual for him to be unable to get a pretty woman out of his head, nor was it unusual for him to get hung up on curses he couldn’t break, but he tended to at least be able to sleep.

“Ready for a visitor?” Paul’s voice, in his head.

“Sure,” Ted thought. “Are you here?”

“What do you think?” Paul asked, out loud from the door. “You know I can’t do this from more than a block away.”   
“Yeah, well, maybe you were a block away,” Ted replied. “Hi Paul.”   
“Hi. How are you doing?”   
“I’m…” Ted looked at himself. “I’m alive. I feel alright, healing hurts, of course, and those damn reapers give me a headache.”   
“Yeah, tell me about it,” Paul said, sitting down in the chair by the bed. “I’m not magic-sensitive the way you are, but I can’t quite block out anyone, other people always hover, and reapers are so uncomfortable.”   
“Thanks for coming to see me, then,” Ted said. “I’m so bored, and they tell me I’ll have to be here for at least a week.”

“Yeah, um, about that.” Paul looked uncomfortable, which wasn’t unusual, but slightly more so. “You’re gonna be here for a lot more than a week. They’re making you do a full rehab.”

Ted groaned and stared at the ceiling. “Fuck me,” he said.   
“I’d rather not.” Ted could never tell if Paul was joking with lines like that; he was utterly deadpan.

“I wasn’t asking.” Ted kept staring at the ceiling. “Why are they making me do a full rehab? I’m fine, seriously. Fine and dandy. Perfect.”   
“You’re not,” Paul corrected. “I’m halfway in your head, this is gonna take a full rehab.”   
“I know.” Ted sighed. “I just don’t want to.”   
“Sorry.” Paul shrugged.

“Leave me alone, I wanna sleep.” Ted turned away from Paul.

“Alright.” He could hear Paul get up. “Take care of yourself.”

Ted laid awake for far too long after Paul had left, but he stubbornly refused to do anything.


	5. Charlotte

Charlotte bustled down the hall on her rounds. There was something nagging at her; something about Sam and the way he had acted towards her the night before and in the morning. He’d been distant, tired; work exhausted him, she knew, but it was slightly worse than usual, and she was worried.

When she got to Ted’s door, she realised what had been nagging at her; his comment about her eyes the day before. She’d gotten new contacts, a different brand; Sam had said they’d be better. And Ted’s insistence that she was being controlled wouldn’t leave her, no matter how little she believed it. Sam wouldn’t control her, but what if he would? What then? Would she leave him?   
No, she decided as she pushed open the door. She wouldn’t. “Good morning Ted.”   
“Hi Charlotte.” He smiled at her. “How are you doing?”   
“Quite well.” She walked over. “Here you go.” She handed him the paper cup she’d brought. “You’re not supposed to have caffeine, but your heart rate has been perfectly normal since your healing, and your friend who was here yesterday said you get insufferable without coffee. Just drink it quickly now, I don’t want anyone to find out.”   
“Thanks.” He took the cup and sipped the coffee. “Vending machine?”   
“Well, yeah.”   
“Yeah, it’s worth it.” He downed it. “Thanks, I needed that.”   
“I imagine you did.” She put a hand on his cheek and checked him. “You’re in less pain than I thought you’d be,” she said, not quite keeping the surprise from her voice.

He put a hand over hers; warm and soft, which she’d come to expect. “I’m pretty tough.” He smiled. “And you know, not being half faded means healing quicker.”   
“Does it?” She drew her hand back, almost regretting it. Almost. “I don’t know much about fading.”   
“Most people don’t,” Ted replied, shrugging. “Let me show you.”   
“No, you’re not—” she began, but he was already fading. “Okay then.”   
“It’s not turning invisible,” he said, his voice sounding suddenly weak and distant. “It’s literally fading from existence. Touch me.” He reached out a hand, and Charlotte, unthinkingly, took it. She could touch him, but it felt like touching gel or thin glass; like she could pass through if she squeezed hard enough. “It’s why fading completely is so hard,” Ted continued, fading back into existence, his hand turning solid in hers. “If you’re completely faded, you basically don’t exist. I’ve only done it once, and it was so uncomfortable. I can’t fade completely now, and I never want to.”   
“Does it hurt?” Charlotte asked, without thinking. “To fade?”   
“No, quite the opposite.” He smiled. “It’s hard for something that doesn’t exist to hurt. It’s also hard for it to heal, though, so not fading is generally recommended.”

She was still holding his hand, she realised, and dropped it immediately. “You shouldn’t have done it,” she said. “You’ll be here for too long.”

“I’m already gonna be here for too long.” Ted had been half-sitting, leaning against his pillows, but he sat up properly now. “They’re making me do a full rehab. I don’t know why, I don’t want to, I’m fine, but… And being faded for a few seconds isn’t gonna make much of a difference.”

“Still.” She put a hand on his cheek and checked how he was feeling; fine, nothing different, his heart rate wasn’t even up from the coffee. “It took energy.”

“Everything takes energy,” Ted pointed out. “I need to do  _ something _ , I’m bored to fucking tears in here. If that’s explaining fading to a pretty nurse… Well.” He winked.   
“Stop that,” Charlotte said, letting her hand drop from his face.

“Stop what?”   
“Flirting.” She stepped away. “I’m a married woman, it’s not right. You’re a nice person, Ted, and I enjoy talking to you, but if I’m going to keep bringing you coffee or come around after I’m off — which I will, by the way, since you asked, and it doesn’t seem like you have much company — you need to stop flirting.”   
“Sorry.” He grinned and didn’t look sorry in the slightest. “I can’t help myself. I’ll make one more comment; you’re very pretty, and it’s such a shame about those jagged pupils. Okay, I’m done flirting now.”

“What do you mean, jagged pupils?” She knew her breath was a little shallow, because she knew what he was referring to. “My pupils are fine, I told you already.”   
“They aren’t.” He was smiling, but it was soft and almost sad. “I know that’s what you see, but he’s making you see that. Those new contacts you have, they make them seem rounder, but I know what to look for, and they’re not perfectly round. And they’re too small, even for how bright this room is, barely pinpricks.” He took her hand, and for some reason, she let him. “You’ll lose your sight entirely within a few years, five if you’re lucky.”   
“Is it recoverable? Someone’s vision, when their pupils have deteriorated from being controlled, can it be recovered?”   
“I don’t know.” Ted dropped his smile. “That’s something you’ll have to take up with a proper healer. I just know the symptoms, and how to break the curse. I don’t know anything about the aftermath.”   
“There’s no curse to break.” She tugged her hand away. “I’m gonna see if we can find a telepath to check your vision.”   
“What’s wrong with an optometrist?” Ted grinned. “My vision’s fine. You might wanna get yours checked out, though, those shaped contacts are bound to mess it up.” He laid back down.

“My vision’s fine.” She shrugged. “I’ll be back later, I promised you I’d come by when I’m off. I’ll see you then.”   
“I’ll see you then.” Ted smiled at her. “Thanks for the coffee again, I really needed that.”   
“You’re welcome.” Charlotte smiled back and then left.

Something about this cursebreaker made her want to talk to him. Even as she continued on her rounds, seeing other patients, he stuck in her mind. And not just the nagging feeling about Sam, but other stuff. The way he put his hand over hers when she checked in on him. The way he smiled. The feel of his hand in hers, both when he was faded and when he wasn’t. The unapologetic grin. She didn’t like how much he stuck around, but she didn’t do too much to dismiss the thought, either.


	6. Sam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She is here

Sam didn't like his job. Not because it was a bad job, per se, just because it meant spending his powers on petty criminals, who would follow just as easily without him. And because it meant getting tangled up in an ethics question pretty much every other week, which was what he hated; ethics committees.

He was in one now. He hadn't done anything, as far as he was concerned, but he was there to give testimony nonetheless, and he didn't want to. "Mr. Harrison," they called, and Sam stood.

"That's  _ Captain _ Harrison, thank you," he said. Not many sorcerers made it to captain, but Sam was lucky enough to be a good shot and reasonably authorative, so he had, and he wasn't about to let anyone dismiss that achievement.

"Captain Harrison," the moderator said. They looked bored to tears, and Sam couldn't blame them. "Would you please explain to the committee how your department utilises their sorcerers in law enforcement?"

Sam didn't even pay attention to his own reply; he'd given the spiel so many times. Subjugation blah blah, under scrutiny of ethics committees for millennia blah, never once outlawed or reconsidered as a result, blah blah blah. He hated these meetings; they came up every few months, and he gave the same speech to the point of having it memorised.

Truth be told, Sam didn't care too much for ethics. This was evident to anyone who knew him, because he frequently used low-level influence to get his way in petty matters, the way he wasn't supposed to. A former colleague of his had once commented, as a direct result of Sam making him get out of the way without bothering to ask, that they should figure out how to place sorcerers under the same innate restrictions that cursebreakers were under. Sam had laughed it off and promised to never do it again, and had promptly made the colleague forget about the interaction. Just to make sure it didn't happen again, he also planted the idea of firing said colleague in their boss' head. He didn't  _ make  _ her do it, he just planted the idea. No harm in that, he'd figured. He'd been wrong, since the man had lost his job and subsequently his wife, but he didn't feel too guilty about it.

Sam's part of the committee was over, and he had to sit it out. "I hate these," he whispered to Wright, another captain with questionable feelings about ethics. "They always end the same."

"I know," Wright whispered back. "They should film them and just send it to anyone who tries to challenge it."

"Agreed. But that's never gonna be good enough for these kids, because  _ they  _ have some new argument we've never heard before." Sam all but rolled his eyes. "I could be on the streets right now, but instead I'm here."

"You're too fond of the streets," Wright said. "You're much more useful in interrogation."

"Yeah well, influencing an interrogation is illegal." Sam smiled.

"That's never stopped you before," Wright replied. "Thanks for that, by the way, I really wanted that guy behind bars."

"He was guilty," Sam said calmly. "I didn't tell him to confess, I told him to tell the truth." He looked at Wright. "You think I'd risk putting someone innocent in jail?"

"You made your wife marry you," Wright shot back. "I wouldn't put it past you

Sam pretended to turn his attention back to the ethics committee. He sometimes regretted telling Wright about Charlotte; not because he thought he'd tell, but because he used it as leverage to make Sam do things he didn't like to do. Like influence interrogations and courts. And sometimes Wright's own wife, which bothered him less, although Lita was a nice woman who would be perfectly happy to do anything her husband asked without Sam's influence. But it was a neat little spell, and Sam could never help himself; if he figured out how to do something difficult, he had to do it, no matter what. It was nice not to care about ethics committees then.

Once the meeting was over, Sam checked his phone; he had a text from Charlotte about her coming home late. He called her immediately. “Charlotte. How come you’re not coming home?”

“Oh hi Sam.” There was a smile in her voice. “I am coming home, just a little late. I'm… I'm meeting with a friend, that's all."

"Aha." Sam waited; she always got nervous when he hesitated. "Which friend?"

"Not someone you know, it's not really a friend, just a patient. He's lonely, he doesn't get any visitors, so I promised I'd go sit with him for a bit when I was off. It's just part of the job, lots of nurses do it."

"Okay, okay, okay." Sam wasn't happy with this. He wanted Charlotte at home. "Well, make sure you come home in time to make dinner."

"Of course, Sam. I—" She was cut off by Sam hanging up.

So Charlotte would be out, would she. Well, in that case, there was no need for Sam to come home either, he decided.

Zoey was off only half an hour after him, so he drove to see her. She was one of the things he wasn't proud of; he loved Charlotte. But Zoey would do anything for him when it came to sex, one of the few lines Sam would never cross; he was not a shining example of a human being, but he was not a rapist. And with Zoey, he didn't need to be; he just needed to ask.

"Excuse me miss," he said, walking up to her as she stood outside the coffee shop she worked at. "I've got a warrant to inspect the junk in your trunk."

"Ugh, Sam, you're such a fucking asshole." She rolled her eyes at him, then put her phone away. "But that uniform is so fucking sexy, oh my god." She kissed him.

Sam was content to just make out for a while, but Zoey began unbuttoning his shirt, so he took her to his squad car and fucked her in the backseat. Not the most professional thing to do, but he didn't care.


	7. Ted

Being hospitalised for more than a day was about Ted's worst nightmare, and it was day three. He was bored to tears; he regretted kicking Paul out the day before, because he didn't come back, and there was no one else to visit him. He didn't even have his phone to text his sister Abi. Sure, she wouldn't come see him, she couldn't drive yet, but at least she'd keep him virtual company.

Charlotte kept her promise and came back to his room in the afternoon. She was in day clothes, a nice flowered skirt and a pale yellow sweater, and smiled softly. "Hi Ted."

"Charlotte, hi." He sat up in bed and smiled at her. "How are you doing?"

"Good." She sat in the chair next to his bed. "How about you?"

"Pretty alright, save this reaper headache." He searched her face; she looked alright, but as much as he'd seen it, the sight of her eyes was jarring. "Well, and I'm so bored. I'm not even allowed to have my phone, so there's literally nothing to do."

"Who would you call?" Charlotte's smile didn't drop, exactly, but it got more comfortable. "If you had your phone."

"No one, but I'd text my sister." Ted smiled. "She's seventeen, she's a spitfire. I mean, absolutely insufferable, but wonderful." He laughed a little. "Do you have siblings?"

"No, it's just… It's just me." Charlotte's phone rang. "Hold on a second," she said, answering the call. "Oh hi Sam." She smiled a little, which would be cute if Ted didn't think her husband was on the other end of the line. “I am coming home, just a little late. I'm… I'm meeting with a friend, that's all."

She waited for a moment, smile dropping a bit. "Not someone you know, it's not really a friend, just a patient. He's lonely, he doesn't get any visitors, so I promised I'd go sit with him for a bit when I was off. It's just part of the job, lots of nurses do it." She waited another moment. "Of course, Sam. I love— I love you." She sighed and put the phone away. "Sorry about that." She was smiling again, but it looked like someone pasted a smile onto a sad face.

"No worries." Ted searched her face. "That was your husband, right?" He kept his voice soft.

"Yeah, he… I said I was coming home late, he wanted to know why. That's fair enough."

"Of course," Ted agreed. He kept looking at her. "Why did it upset you?"

"Oh, it's nothing, it's…" She waved the thought away. "It doesn't matter. I'm fine." She smiled again, and it was a little more real this time. "I actually have something I'm curious about. You said, when fading, you said you fade from existence. How does that feel?"

Ted smiled back at her; he recognised her attempt to change the topic, but he also didn't know her very well, so he let her. "Well, it's hard to explain if you hadn't done it, I think. You sort of… Stop. You have to concentrate a lot, especially if you want to move or interact with anything while faded, you need to make yourself exist physically without existing visually, I guess is how I'd say it. I'm not sure how it works when fully faded, I'm usually only halfway out, so I can still touch things, but you felt that. But that also means I can be seen." Ted shrugged. "Why do you ask?"

"I've just always wondered." Charlotte smiled, a real smile. "I've never got to talk to a fader."

Ted couldn't help but smile back. "Well, let me know if you have more questions, I'm apparently gonna be around for a while."

"Well, actually." Charlotte leaned forward and lowered her voice. "I'm not supposed to tell you, but they've gone back on the full rehab idea, since your scans have come back clean. You're just gonna be here for a few more days."

Ted breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He was tempted to get up and hug her, but didn't. "That's a relief, I cannot wait to get back to work."

"No work for another two weeks," Charlotte said immediately. "That's after you've been excused. Those broken bones need time to heal."

"That's what healers are for, look." Ted stood up. "I'm fine. Doesn't even hurt."

"Lay down!" Charlotte stood up and put a hand on his chest to push him back on the bed. "You're not supposed to be standing, you know that."

"I do know that, but I'm fine." Ted smiled up at her and took her hand, still on his chest. "I know you said not to flirt, but you're really hot when you assert yourself." He grinned and kissed her hand. "Sorry, I'll stop."

"Will you?" She didn't take her hand back. "You've said that before. If I'm gonna keep coming in here and bending rules for you, you've better stop flirting."

"Right, okay, I know." Ted wasn't about to let her hand go, though, and he wasn't about to pretend that his heart rate didn't rise slightly. "By the way, can I ask another favour? I really need coffee right now." He grinned again, but he tried to look pleading, and he was suddenly happy she was standing over him; looking up through his eyelashes helped that look pretty well.

She shook her head at him. "Not today. I'll bring you some tomorrow, but you need to take a break. It's not good for you, your heart rate is already up a bit too much."

"That's just you," Ted mumbled, smiling slightly; he could flirt if he so wished, and it was true. "Please Charlotte? Tea at least, I just need something that isn't fucking tap water."

She shook her head. "Sorry Ted. I have to think about your health, it's my job."

"You're not at work," Ted pointed out. "At least I've never seen a nurse in a floral skirt."

"You have now." She raised her other hand and put it on his cheek, her eyes losing focus for a moment. "Your heart is settling," she noted, still not focusing. "You're sure the headache is just the reapers? I'm worried that scream might have busted your ears."

"I'm fine, it's really just the reapers." Ted leaned his head slightly against her hand; she was warm. "I mean it, I could go home now if I wanted."

"You can't." Charlotte took her hand back; Ted's face suddenly felt cold. "But I think you can have some tea, at least."

He smiled. "Thank you!" He did get up to give her a hug now. "You are the best."

"Oh." She hugged him back. "You're welcome." She smiled, a little flushed. "I'll go get it, I'll be back in a minute. Please be careful."

"I will, thanks." Ted smiled and sat on the bed. "See you in a minute." He kept smiling even after Charlotte left the room.


	8. Charlotte

Charlotte was generally not one for socialising with patients, past what was required of her, but she liked Ted. Sure, he flirted too much, but he also genuinely asked how she was doing, and he seemed to listen to her responses. And he was worried about her, which was nice, even if there was nothing to be worried about. He was charming, she decided, and there was no harm in being charmed. Especially not if it only extended to bringing him caffeinated drinks he shouldn't have.

She pushed open the door with one hand and walked over to the bed. "Here you go." She handed him the cup of tea. "Since you asked so nicely."

"Thanks." He sent her a brilliant smile that wasn't quite a grin and took the cup. "I really appreciate it." He took a sip, then another. "Yeah, it's certainly not coffee, but it's better than nothing."

"Well, you can have coffee tomorrow," she replied, sitting down in the chair again. "You're welcome, by the way. It's not every day I break the rules."

"No, I can imagine." That time it was definitely a grin, flirtatious and challenging.

She decided to take the bait. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means, Charlotte, that I get the impression that you like following the rules." There was something in his voice, something in the way he lingered on her name; she shouldn't notice it that much, but she could feel herself blush just slightly. "Of course," he continued, still with that tone, "I assume that's partly because you're being controlled."

That shattered her momentary fascination. "I told you I'm not," she said sharply. "Sam would never—" And then she stopped.  _ Sam would never do anything to hurt me _ , but that wasn't strictly true; he hung up on her too often. "He wouldn't control me," she said instead. "He's not perfect, but no one is. But he wouldn't do this."

"Sure." Ted nodded slowly, his flirting gone; he looked genuinely concerned. "Say it's not Sam, then, it's someone else. Who could it be?"

"I don't know." Charlotte shrugged, happy to be back on solid ground. "I know a few sorcerers. Most of them are with the police, though, so I don't imagine they'd do much…"

"You'd be surprised." Ted shrugged, and some of his concern disappeared. "I've had to break curses in law enforcement before. I had one, wasn't a fun case, a girl… She'd been coerced into confessing. The reason they realised was that she was called in repeatedly, so it started to show in her eyes. Once I broke the hold, she started sobbing, she…" His eyes went a little distant. "She'd been locked up for three years by then." His voice had softened to something barely audible.

"That's horrible," Charlotte said, matching his tone. Without thinking, she reached out to hold Ted's hand; a corner of his mouth turned up, but he didn't say anything. "Didn't anyone realise? I thought sorcerers weren't allowed in interrogation rooms."

"They aren't." Ted sighed. "She didn't know who'd done it, so we never caught them. We assume someone from the interrogation team brought in a sorcerer, but… Nothing they could prove, so we never got to do anything."

"What happened to her?"

"She died." Ted looked at Charlotte now, any trace of flirtatiousness gone. "She killed herself some months later. I don't entirely blame her."

"Poor girl," Charlotte said, nearly a whisper. She reflectively reached up for Ted's face, checking in on him; he was fine, if a little sad. "That must have been terrifying, to be locked up like that."

"I think it was more the control." Ted put his hand over hers, leaning into her touch. "The way sorcerers work… Their victims aren't aware of being controlled, it's not like you feel like you lose control of your own body. It's more like… Your desires change. You  _ want  _ to do whatever they've decided. They don't influence your actions, they influence your will."

"I know." Charlotte's voice was barely a whisper. "I saw Sam once… Someone said they'd rather die than give their seat on the bus up just for some kids in love to sit together, it was when we first started dating. And I was about to just go sit somewhere else, but Sam waved his hand, and suddenly this angry old man smiled and offered me his seat. I asked Sam what he'd done… He said he'd just made the old man want to do me a favour but… It scared me." She didn't say the next thing on her mind, which was that she'd specifically been scared of Sam ever doing that to her. "It's just small things, I don't think he'd ever do something that would be detrimental to other people, but knowing that he could…"

"Of course." Ted smiled softly. "I know you said he wouldn't, but do you think Sam has ever influenced you? Not even in a big way, although I still think he's probably responsible for how your pupils look, but just… Small things like that."

"I don't know," Charlotte admitted softly. "He's…" It occurred to her, suddenly, that she still had a hand on Ted's face despite not actually reading him, and she was still holding his hand. "He gets jealous easily," she said, leaning away and pulling her hands back. "I don't think he'd ever do anything, but he might have considered it, and that's… That's bad enough." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "I need to go home."

"Alright." Ted's voice was soft. "Just… Think about it, okay? I don't want to fight you about it, but just think about it. Someone's controlling you, and I want to break it."

"I… Yeah." She smiled a little. "I'll see you tomorrow. I'll bring you coffee."

"Alright, see you tomorrow."

As Charlotte drove home, she thought about all the things she hadn't told Ted. About how the man on the bus was the first instance of Sam scaring her with his powers, but certainly not the last. About how she'd once asked Sam to influence her on something tiny, her coffee preferences, just to see how it would feel, and how she hadn't put cream in her coffee since, despite him saying that it should wear off within a week. She told him she'd gotten used to the taste, and maybe she had, but it still scared her. And mostly she thought about how that first night, when she'd told Sam about Ted flirting with her, she'd woken up in the morning feeling even more in love with Sam than usual.

Sam wasn't home when she got back, so she set about cooking dinner for him and dismissing Ted from her mind.


	9. Sam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This man has no rights

Sam dropped Zoey off at her house and drove home. Charlotte wouldn't be home yet, he assumed, it was barely an hour after she would normally be home.

He was wrong. "Hi Sam," she called from the kitchen when he came in.

"Hi honey," he called back. He walked to the kitchen to see her. "How was your day?"

"Good." She kissed him. "How about yours?"

He rolled his eyes. "Ethics committee again. But other than that it was fine." He wrapped his arms around her. "What are you cooking?"

"Chicken casserole." She smiled. "Go get changed, food is almost ready, you shouldn't eat in uniform."

"Sure." He kissed her and let her go. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled and shooed him with one hand.

Sam went and got changed. He didn't care about eating in uniform, he did that at work anyway, but it was one of those small things Charlotte insisted on that was perfectly harmless. A perfect example of her controlling him, he thought to himself, although that wasn't the case. He just liked to believe that they were normal, no matter how proud he was of the spell itself.

Charlotte had set the table when he came back out, so he just took a seat. "Anything interesting happen today?" he asked, heaping food onto his plate.

"A few things." Charlotte smiled. "We had some weird cases come in. Oh, and I had fading explained to me by a patient, the one I stayed with, he can fade, it was quite interesting."

"Oh?" Sam could care less about fading, but Charlotte's smile had gotten a peculiarly fond edge to it, and he didn't like that. "This wouldn't happen to be the same one who was flirting with you, would it?"

Charlotte shrugged. "He's not flirting anymore," she replied, but she'd dropped her smile. "I told him to stop."

"Still." Sam deliberately let his expression fall, before softening. "I just don't like the thought of someone else flirting with you."

Charlotte reached over the table to take his hand. "I know Sam, but he's… He's not really flirting, I think, he's just lonely. No one comes to see him, he's not even allowed a phone, and he's gonna be in for a while. He needs company." She smiled. "We mostly just chat about magic."

Sam smiled back and squeezed her hand. "Alright then." He leaned back. "I need to do a little bit of work, but it shouldn't take more than a few minutes. I'll come help with cleaning afterwards."

"Don't worry about it." Charlotte leaned over the table to kiss him. "I'll do it, just do what you need to do."

"You're the best." Sam smiled and let her go. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

He went to his study and lit a candle. Charlotte was slipping from him, he suspected, and it was that damn patient's fault. Somehow he was doing something stronger than Sam. Sam preferred Charlotte in love with him, but he'd take subservient if he had to. Then he hesitated; maybe not quite yet, he thought. He could probably ride it out without going that far. After all, it was just a patient; he'd be gone soon enough.

Sam blew out the candle; it was easier to just let her fall slightly more in love with him, and less risky, in the long run. He didn't want to risk Charlotte losing her personality; what was the point of a wife with no personality?

He went back out to the kitchen. Charlotte was doing the dishes, so he went to dry them for her. "No, Sam, just sit down, I've got this," she protested, half-heartedly, smiling.

"No, I wanna help." Sam smiled back. "You've had a long day too." He leaned over to kiss her. He hated putting magic anywhere other than his fingers, but it was fine. It was Charlotte; she wouldn't feel it.

"Oh." She flinched and touched her lips. "Static electricity, I guess." She smiled slightly. "Barely felt it." She kissed him again.

"That's good." Sam smiled at her, mentally reminding himself to be more careful. "No harm done then."

They did the rest of the dishes in silence, but Sam was worried. Charlotte was in love with him, sure, but this Charlotte would leave if she knew he'd cheated on her, and he didn't like that. He kept Zoey a secret to avoid hurting her feelings, not because he was afraid she'd leave, and he preferred to keep it like that. It might be time to call in some favours, get a good look at this cursebreaker who had her so charmed. Sam was not a fan of another man being able to influence his wife, although the irony of him influencing others’ wives didn’t escape him.

He shook off the thought. It didn’t do any good to think too much about; what did good was pulling Charlotte into a hug when he’d put the last dish away. “How are you doing?”

“Alright.” She gently freed herself and smiled. “Sam, I… I have a question. Remember the little coffee experiment we did? And how I haven’t had cream in my coffee since?”   
“Yeah, what about it?” Of course she’d ask about that, if she was worried about him controlling him. Strengthening the spell might not be too early, after all. “I think you just got used to the taste.”   
“Is there any chance the spell has lingered?” She wasn’t quite meeting his eyes.

“Yes,” Sam admitted. He took her hands. “It shouldn’t have, but it’s technically possible. But it’s a harmless thing, Charlotte, it doesn’t matter. I can try to look at it if you want, but I can’t guarantee anything.”   
“No, it’s fine.” She looked at him then. “I just wondered. But I don’t mind, I like my coffee like this.”

“That’s good.” He pulled her into another hug. “I’m tired. How about we take an early night and watch a movie?”

“That sounds good.” She smiled at him. “Let’s go.”   
He held her while they watched a movie, letting traces of magic seep into her. She just had to be in love with him, he thought as he fell asleep. That had to be enough.


	10. Ted

No one came to visit Ted in the hospital, and he tried not to be bitter about it. It was easier than expected, because someone did kind of come to visit him; Charlotte. Every day during her rounds she'd stop to small talk, and almost every day after her shift, she'd come sit with him for half an hour. She brought him coffee from the vending machine, which he was grateful for, but mostly, he just enjoyed that she came and talked. Sure, she was pretty and her husband was a piece of shit, but she was also just a good conversationalist. Some part of Ted was aware that her husband had to be extremely powerful to have her almost completely under his control — because he did, Ted realised from their conversations — without her losing any personality.

It was day eight, and Ted was allowed to walk now, so he got up to answer the door when someone knocked. It was Charlotte. "Hey." He smiled at her. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you up and about," she said, smiling. She closed the door behind her and put a hand on his cheek. "You're leaving soon, it'll be good for the headache."

"Paul is picking me up tonight, yeah." He smiled and put a hand over hers; reflex, at this point. "I'm excited to be away from the reapers. And to sleep in my own bed."

"You're lucky," she said, pulling her hand away. "I'd have expected you to be bedridden for another few weeks at least, but you're genuinely fine. You have a headache and something is still up with your ears, but…"

"My ears are fine." Ted smiled and walked back to the bed to sit. "A bit of tinnitus, but that's nothing new."

Charlotte sat next to him. "Oh well." She folded her hands in her lap. "This is very unprofessional of me, but… I am going to miss you, I think."

Ted decided to chance putting an arm around her; he wasn't really flirting much anymore, anyway. "I'm definitely going to miss you," he replied, laughing slightly. Then he pointed to the small table and the slip of paper he'd left there. "Which is why I'm leaving you my phone number. Do with it whatever you want, but if it's a nice text, I'll buy you coffee." He grinned.

She scooted slightly away from him. "No flirting," she reminded him, but she was smiling.

"I'm not flirting, I'm being friendly," Ted argued. "Buying coffee isn't flirting, or you've been flirting with me the whole time I've been here."

She shook her head, and Ted couldn't help but laugh. "I haven't."

"I know you haven't, you're married. Which is why I'm saying, not flirting, just being friendly." He turned to face her a little bit. "Anyway, I just figured I'd offer, I've enjoyed talking to you."

"I've enjoyed talking to you too." She took the paper from the table and pocketed it. "And I will again." She smiled a little.

"I'm glad." He smiled. "How long are you staying today?"

"Not long, I… I need to get home. I just came to say goodbye and good luck with your recovery." She stood and put a hand on his cheek. "You're gonna be fine, I'm sure."

"I'm sure," Ted agreed, putting his hand over hers. "Thanks for coming around this week, it's been a lot nicer with you here." He smiled. "I'll see you around, Charlotte."

"See you around, Ted." She took her hand away and left.

Ted laid down once she was gone and waited. He had his phone back, which meant seven unanswered texts from Abi, which he now set about answering. Mostly asking how he was doing, but also some super technical stuff and questions about dating. He answered to the best of his ability, which honestly wasn't good, and he wasn't sure why she was asking him. Then he texted Paul for an ETA and was told he'd had to wait an hour. Could be worse.

The hour passed quickly enough. "Are you decent?" Paul thought at him.

"I'm dressed," Ted thought back. "You can come in."

The door opened. "Hi." Paul attempted a smile.

"Hi." Ted stood up. "Thanks for picking me up, I'm not really up for a cab right now." He grabbed his things — which was, truth be told, basically nothing — and walked to the door. "Shall we?"

"Sure." Paul walked with him to the entrance, waited while he checked out, and then walked him to the car. "So," he said once they were in the car. "That's the longest you've ever been out of commission, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Ted sighed, leaning back in the seat. "They're making me do rehab in physical therapy, but at least they're not making me stay in hospital for it. I miss being at home."

"Is Abi home?" Paul asked. "At your place, I mean."

"Nah, she's been with our parents while I've been in hospital. I might make her stay there for a bit, I'm not really up for taking care of her. Well, she can take care of himself, she's 17, it doesn't really matter." He shrugged. "And I can make her cook."

"You're a terrible guardian," Paul said, shaking his head. "You're supposed to take care of her."

"I am not, she's my sister, our parents are supposed to take care of her.  _ I  _ am supposed to annoy her."

"Well yeah." Paul shook his head. "Still." He pulled up in front of Ted's building. "Here you are."

"Thanks again for the ride." Ted opened the car door. "I'll see you around, I guess."

"See you."

Ted got out and slammed the door behind him, heading up to his apartment. It felt empty; Abi kind of lived with him, but she wasn't home now, and he himself hadn't been home for over a week either.

He wasn't in the mood to cook anything, so he ordered food out, texted Abi that she could come home if she liked, and set about making the apartment look somewhat nice. By the time food had arrived he'd gotten as far as changing his bedsheets, so he left it at that, ate, and headed to bed.


	11. Charlotte

Charlotte left Ted’s room, looking at the piece of paper in her hand. His number and then  _ Ted xx _ scrawled under it. She should just bin it, she thought, and Sam wouldn’t like it, but she didn’t. She folded it and carefully tugged it into her wallet. She didn’t really plan to call him, she told herself, but it couldn’t hurt to keep it, just in case.

She knew full well that she would text him the very next day, but she ignored that and drove home to Sam instead.

He was waiting for her. “Hey baby.” He pulled her into a hug.

“Hi Sam.” She smiled. “How was your day?”

“Alright.” He let her go and shrugged the question away. “How about you?”   
“Good.” She smiled. “Are you ready for tonight?”

“What’s… Oh!” He smiled. “Yes, of course. I just need to go pick up something before we go, if that’s alright?”

“Sure.” She nodded. “I’ll get dressed.”

It was their 12th anniversary. They hadn’t gone out much the past few years, so Charlotte was excited for a nice dinner together. In a restaurant with her Sam. She had missed him lately, not because he’d been gone, but just because she’d felt like she’d been more in love with him. She could thank Ted for that, she supposed; nothing like another man flirting to realise how happy she was to be married to Sam. Nothing like jealousy to make Sam use his magic on her, some voice in the back of her head thought, but she dismissed it. He wouldn’t; she loved him all on her own.

Sam came back some twenty minutes later with a bag from the dry cleaner's. "Forgot to pick this up earlier, sorry, got my dates mixed up." He kissed her. "I wanted to wear something nice. You look great, by the way."

"Thanks." Charlotte smiled. She was wearing a proper dress, for the first time in ages, and proper heels. "Go get dressed, we need to leave soon."

"Sure." Sam went to the bedroom and came out a few minutes later, now in a suit and tie.

"Oh you look so handsome!" Charlotte went up and kissed him. "I love you."

"Love you too." He put an arm around her. "Shall we?"

"Let's."

They drove to a restaurant, a nice one, and got a table. Split an appetiser, ate dinner, split a dessert. Two glasses of wine each, because Sam insisted he'd be fine to drive, and Charlotte trusted him; he was a cop, after all. And she had a wonderful night; for the first time in ages, it felt like Sam was trying to love her, not just as a wife, but as a girlfriend too. She had missed that, she thought, and it was nice to get it back.

They had sex when they got home, which, Charlotte reflected, had also been a while, although not quite as long. Just long enough for it to feel special and nice, and Sam was as nice about it as she remembered; no rose coloured glasses, even if she'd suspected them before. But she really just was in love with Sam.

That didn't stop her from texting Ted during her lunch break the next day.  _ This is Charlotte, I think you owe me a coffee? _

He replied within minutes.  _ I owe you many coffees, but let's start with one. When are you off today? _

She told him when she'd be off and when she'd need to be home, and he texted her the address of a coffee shop she'd never heard of — Beanie's, apparently — and they agreed to meet there.

She got in her car as soon as she was off and drove to Beanie's. Ted was standing in the parking lot, smoking a cigarette. "You shouldn't smoke," she said, by way of greeting.

"Nice to see you too." He smiled and took another drag. "No, well, I haven't had a cigarette in over a week, so I deserve this. I need it almost as much as coffee."

"Hmm. Glad I didn't see you without both, then." She smiled and put a hand on his cheek, her smile widening slightly when he put a hand over hers. "You feel fine," she said, almost disappointed. "No headache, either."

"No reapers around." He shrugged and put out the butt against a wall. "Wanna go inside?"

"Sure." She followed him in, stood in line to order coffee, and then found a table. "How have you been?" she asked once they were seated.

"Tired, mostly," he replied. "I mean… I got home yesterday, got food, basically passed out. Then Abi woke me up this morning when she came home."

"Who's Abi?" If Ted was in a relationship, had a girlfriend, she'd be far less hesitant to be there.

"My sister." He smiled. "She kind of lives with me. Not really, she lives with our parents, but she has a room in my apartment, and keys, so she kind of lives there. She came by before school this morning to get some things and say hi. I've basically just been cleaning up since she left, it was a bit of a mess when I went to work, and leaving that for a week, well…"

"It can't be pretty." Charlotte laughed a little. "How old is your sister?"

"Seventeen. She's a character, great kid, but I cannot keep up with her. Neither can our parents, to be fair, so you know." He shrugged. "I'm doing okay."

"How come she stays with you?" Charlotte was curious, yes, but there was also something uniquely lovely about Ted's smile when he talked about his sister, and she shouldn't be thinking like that, but she did.

Ted shrugged. "I don't make her go to church, I think is the main thing. But also just because we have a good time together, we've always been close considering there's eleven years between us, and I had the space."

"That's nice of you though." Charlotte smiled. "To let her stay with you."

"Yeah, well." He shrugged. "I'm nice like that." Then he winked at her.

Charlotte reminded him to stop flirting, and he insisted that he wasn't, and their conversation dissolved into normal small talk. She had a better time than she'd care to admit, and when they were saying their goodbyes and Ted asked if she wanted to repeat the experience, she said yes.


	12. Sam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sam has no rights, Zoey is amazing

Charlotte came home late the day after their anniversary, which Sam didn’t like. She was out late a lot. “Where were you?” he asked.

“Oh, having coffee with a friend.” She shrugged and kissed him and changed the subject. He didn’t like that either; there was a spell to strengthen, but he was hesitant to do so.

It continued for a few weeks. She was always out with a friend, having coffee, and she never wanted to talk about it. He hated that; he wanted her home.

Two weeks later, he asked her to come home directly after work, and she agreed. He was waiting for her when she came home. “So… I have a question for you,” he said when she came in.   
“Oh?” She smiled. “What’s up?”

“Well…” He pulled her into a hug. He hadn’t actually planned how to do things. “I just… You’ve been out a lot lately, I… I miss you. I know you come home every day, still, but it feels like you’re always either out or doing chores.” He kissed her forehead and let a little bit of magic flow through. “I just miss you.”

“I know, I miss you too.” She pulled away and smiled up at him. “I just… I’m happy with you. So I feel okay only doing something on special occasions because I feel okay with just normal.”

Sam shook his head. “You’re not really making sense, baby.” He kissed her. “I just wish I saw you more often.”   
“I know, I know, but… I’m home now.” She put a hand on his cheek, her ruined eyes losing focus for a moment. “You’re upset,” she said, and it wasn’t a question. “Scared.”

“I’m scared I’m losing you.” He removed her hand from his cheek; he was scared she’d find out. “You’re almost never home anymore and when you are, you don’t talk to me. You just do your chores and then we watch television or we sleep.” It was an exaggerated accusation, but honesty was not what he needed. He needed her to stay home. “I miss spending time with you.”   
“Oh, I want to spend time with you, Sam, sweetheart, but I have friends too. You do as well.” She kissed him. “But I’ll try to be home more.”

“That’s all I ask.” He kept his arms around her. “Let’s order out food tonight. We can just talk.”   
“That sounds good.” She smiled and stepped away.

They spent the evening together, and it was fine, but Charlotte checked her phone more often than usual, and she definitely sent a few texts.

And yes, she came home earlier for the rest of the week and spent time with him, but she didn’t feel entirely present. He strengthened the spell once during that week, but for a few days, she seemed spaced out, like she was drunk or just not entirely present, and he didn’t like it. He couldn’t risk strengthening it if she was going to lose her personality, he decided; then he’d just have to step it up as a husband.

He went to Zoey’s place for his lunch break one day. She shook her head at him when he was at her door. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I just wanted to see you.” He stepped inside without waiting for her to invite him in. “Is that a crime?”   
“You’re married.” She glared at him. “And you’re mad at your wife.”   
“Yeah, so.” He shrugged. “You knew I was married the first time we hooked up, what are you so surprised about?”

“I’m not surprised, I’m— Ugh.” She rolled her eyes and went to grab his shoulders and kiss him, angrily. “I’m angry. You’re just here because your wife is upsetting you in some way, you don’t give a shit about me, you just wanna get your dick wet. I’m sick of it.”   
“Zoey, I—” Sam held her slightly tighter when she tried to walk away from him. “I do care about you.”   
“Do you?” She stepped away from him, and he let her go. “Ugh, whatever, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just fuck, it’s fine.”   
“Don’t do anything you don’t want to do,” Sam said, but he didn’t stop her from pulling him towards the bedroom; it was just a courtesy. “But yeah.”

“No, okay, actually.” Zoey stopped in the bedroom, put a hand on his chest, and pushed him to sit on the bed. “Fuck that. Talk.”

“About what?” Sam raised an eyebrow. He and Zoey had had maybe three conversations over the past year that weren’t exchanging pleasantries or dirty talk, so he really didn’t know where she was going. But he was willing to humour her for a while.

“You wife. What’s she done, what’s up? You’re a sorcerer, why aren’t you just like, magicking her into loving you or whatever?” Zoey sat cross-legged next to him on the bed.

“I did,” he said. “I have since we started dating. I made her ask me to get married. But I’m losing my grip, I’m afraid.”   
“Okay?” Zoey shrugged. “So, let her go. What about it?”   
“I love her.” Sam shook his head. “Don’t you get it? I need her, I— I need her to stay with me. I don’t know what to do.” He’d raised his voice and forced it down. “I love her.”

“Yeah, so? I love you, you’re married to someone else, I’ll let it go. You don’t need her, you  _ think _ you need her. Move on, dude.”   
“You love me?” Sam raised an eyebrow. “I honestly thought you hated me.”   
“It’s the same thing.” She waved his words away. “Yeah I do, that’s why I keep putting up with your bullshit. Okay, that’s enough talking, I think, fuck me or get out of here.” There was a challenge in the look she sent him, and Sam was willing to rise to it.

He left as soon as they were done, but he felt better. Not just because of the sex, though it certainly helped, but because Zoey was right; it didn’t matter that he loved Charlotte, what mattered was what he did about it. It wasn’t entirely what she’d told him, he knew, but it was what he chose to hear.


	13. Ted

Ted got progressively more worried about Charlotte. She kept meeting up with him, which was nice, but her vision was going quicker, she told him, and her pupils were barely there anymore. And she had shut off; where she used to never shut up about Sam, she now avoided him.

“You’re sad,” he told her when they were having coffee one day, three weeks after he’d left the hospital. “You have been for a while, but it’s worse. What’s up?”   
She shook her head at him. “I’m fine.” She smiled. “I just need new glasses, and I haven’t been able to afford them yet, so I kind of just… Have a headache, I guess, from trying to focus.” She shrugged. “I’m going to get some soon.”   
“Don’t bother.” Ted took her hand; it wasn’t the first time they held hands, but he still made sure to keep flirting out of his expression, just so she didn’t draw back. “I know you love Sam and you don’t want to believe it but… I can’t imagine anyone else having that much access to you. You’re very controlled, Charlotte, and I think it’s Sam who’s controlling you. I know you don’t wanna hear that, but… It’s true.”   
“Ted he’s—”   
“Your husband, I know,” he interrupted.

She smiled, but there was no happiness to it. “Actually I was gonna say cheating on me,” she said softly. “Why would he do that if he can just  _ make _ me do anything?”   
“I’m sorry.” Ted smiled and squeezed her hand. “I don’t know, but I’ve never met a sorcerer who didn’t have lines they wouldn’t cross. Maybe he doesn’t have to with whoever, or maybe he’s just more principled with you than anyone else. I don’t know.” He considered flirting with her, but decided that he could put it off for a few minutes, until the conversation got lighter.

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t think he knows I know. I wonder what he’d do, though.”   
“Hopefully leave you.” He softened a little when he saw how hurt she looked. “Sorry, I just mean… If he’s cheating on you, you deserve better, you do anyway. But I know you love him too much to see that.”   
“He makes me happy.” She wasn’t meeting his eyes.

“Does he?” Ted leaned forward. “Does he really?” He was close enough to kiss her, and she was the specific kind of pretty and sad he usually liked, but she was also far too controlled for him to expect any kind of success, so he didn’t.

“Yes.” She took her hand back, finally. “What do you know about love?”   
“Quite a lot, actually.” He leaned away again. “I won’t say I’m exactly a role model when it comes to functional relationships, but I’ve had my fair share of bad ones. I know what abuse looks like, Charlotte.”   
“It’s not abuse.” She emptied her coffee. “I don’t wanna have this conversation, Ted. Sam is my husband, I love him. If you’re gonna be like this I’m leaving.”   
“Alright.” Ted leaned back. “I won’t bring it up again. Just… The offer still stands.”   
“Sure.” She shook her head. “How’s Abi?”   
“She’s good, yeah, she’s busy with school.” Ted let the conversation turn, but he didn’t quite let go of Sam in his mind. There was something just out of reach.

Abi was waiting for him when he came home. “Where have you been?” she asked.

“Hello to you too.” Ted took off his jacket. “Out for coffee with Charlotte.”   
“Your girlfriend?” Abi went to sit on the couch. “Or whatever.”   
“She’s not my girlfriend.” Ted sat next to her. “She’s married.”   
“You care about that?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No. But Charlotte does.” Ted grinned. “Anyway, you’re deflecting, what’s up?”

“Nothing, and I mean it this time.” Abi looked at him for a few seconds. “And now you’re deflecting, what’s up?” She mimicked his tone almost exactly.

Ted sighed; having a sister was hard work sometimes. “I’m just worried about Charlotte, her husband is… Not good.”   
“Isn’t that like, what you do?” For a teenager, Abi was remarkably blasé about Ted’s life. “Shitty husbands’ wives?”   
“He’s a sorcerer, Abi.” Ted shook his head. “She can barely see anymore.”   
“Oh.” Abi, a sorcerer herself, got quiet. “That’s like, really terrible, you know that right? Why don’t you just break it?”   
“I can’t, I’d lose my powers, you know that.” Ted shook his head. “I just have to hope she asks at some point, but Sam’s got her pretty tightly, I don’t have high hopes. I can just hope she’ll seek medical attention once her sight disappears entirely and believe them more than me.”

“Hopefully.” Abi tapped her knee a few times. “You should introduce me to her.”   
“Why?”   
“I can do something.” She smiled. “I can make her ask you to break it.”   
Ted thought about it for a moment. It was a tempting offer. “We’ll give it a bit of time,” he said. “If it gets worse… Maybe. But this is a tricky spell, I’m not sure it’ll count influenced consent as consent. The law doesn’t.”   
“I know.” Abi shrugged. “Anyway, I have schoolwork to do, you’re a nerd, help me with math.”

“Alright, but take it in here then.”

Ted and Abi spent the rest of the day going over her homework together, ordering takeout when it was time to eat. She kept saying she could just influence her teacher to give her good grades, and Ted kept reminding her that not only was that immoral, she also didn’t learn anything like that, and the truth was, Abi was enough of a nerd to want to do well on her own. Both Ted and their parents had raised her not to use magic unless strictly necessary, which meant that she was not a particularly strong sorcerer, but it was better like that. She could, however, fade better than Ted, which was a shame, because she hadn’t been taught, and it wasn’t necessary for her.

Ted did feel a little better about the whole situation with Charlotte when going to bed that night, but he couldn’t quite shake the feeling of having to do something.


	14. Charlotte

Charlotte left her appointment with Ted with a bitter taste in her mouth. Because she’d told him about Sam cheating, which she’d said she wouldn’t do, because she thought he’d use it as an excuse to flirt. If anything he’d turned the flirting down, which she was grateful for, but still; she felt bad about it. Because there had been some part of her that wished he would.

It didn’t matter, she told herself as she drove home. She liked Ted, but he was a friend, nothing more, she just liked the attention. He was just a friend, of course just a friend.

Sam barely spoke to her that night, so she asked Ted if he was free to grab lunch the next day. He was, and they met up at Beanie’s at noon. “Hey.” He gave her a hug. “How are you?”   
“Alright.” She shrugged and stepped away. “How about you?”   
“Fine.” He smiled. “Are you sure you’re alright, you look like you’ve been crying.”   
Charlotte automatically averted her eyes and lifted a hand to her face. “Contacts drying out,” she lied. “I’m fine, don’t worry.”   
“Alright.” He went and found a table for them. “What do you want? My treat.”   
“Oh, you don’t have to…” She trailed off; the only reason she was denying was that it would make it feel like a date, but it was easier to just not acknowledge that. “Oh well. Just a salad.”   
“Sure.” He smiled and went to order.

Charlotte checked her phone; she had a text from Sam, asking her to come home for lunch.  _ Sorry, can’t _ , she replied, wondering if she’d lie to him if he asked.

Ted came back with their food. “Got you a coffee,” he said, sliding it over. “I hope I remembered your order.”   
She smiled and took a sip. “Thanks, it’s perfect.” It wasn’t, but she appreciated the gesture, and it wasn’t bad. “You know, I’ve been thinking, with Sam… I’ve never told him that I know about the cheating. I wonder what he’d do.” She knew what he’d say, but she needed to hear it.

“I have a good guess,” he replied, sipping his own coffee. “You’re not going to like it.”   
“Tell me anyway.”   
“I think he’ll make you forget about it.”   
Charlotte sighed. “Yeah.” She stopped for a while. “If… If I tell him tonight… Will you ask me about it?”   
“What?” Ted, usually all but lounging even on a plastic chair, suddenly sat up straight.

“If I tell Sam about him cheating tonight… Next time we see each other, will you ask me about it? And… If I don’t know what you’re talking about, then that’s proof that he made me forget.”   
“Sure.” Ted nodded. “You won’t know that, though.”

She took a bite to stall. “If I tell you now that you’re allowed to break the control on a condition, is that considered consent?” She didn’t want it to be true, she decided, but if it was,  _ if  _ Sam was really controlling her, she’d want to know. “I still don’t believe it, but if I don’t remember him cheating after tonight… Then you can break it.”   
Ted nodded, slowly. “Alright. That should be enough. Theoretically. I’ll risk it.” He smiled. “Thanks. I’d rather just break it immediately,  _ I’m _ sure, but this is… Better than nothing.” He took her hand, and Charlotte’s immediate instinct was to pull away, but she didn’t. “Promise me you’ll talk to him.”   
“I will.” She squeezed his hand. “I promise.”

“Good.” His smile went more casual. “You know, I had a thought; there’s a weird fucking new movie out about Santa Claus, because Christmas movies in November makes a lot of sense, and I’m trying to make Abi come watch it with me but she won’t, and I’m way too curious. Wanna come?”   
She shook her head at him, laughing slightly. “Oh Ted. Isn’t that a kid’s movie?”   
“Yes, but think about it; it’s about Santa Claus going to high school, it is  _ bound _ to be weird and cringy. Come on, Charlotte, live a little!”   
She laughed at him again. “Alright then. Why not.” She didn’t want to watch the movie, but she didn’t mind the idea of going out with Ted. Especially not this animated, barely-flirting Ted she’d gotten to know over the past few weeks.

“Awesome!” He leaned back in his chair. “I hope you’re prepared to annoy some parents, I can and will be talking.”   
“No, don’t do that.” She shook her head at him again. “Anyway, when were you thinking of doing this?”   
“Tonight?”   
She thought about the text from Sam and shook her head. “I have to go home tonight. Maybe tomorrow, it depends on Sam.”

“Sure.” He smiled and squeezed her hand. “I’ll have to get back to work soon, but you promise you’ll talk to Sam tonight?”

“Yeah, of course.” She smiled. “Thanks for lunch.”   
“No worries.” Ted emptied his coffee and got up. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He kissed her hair and left.

Charlotte remained sitting at the table for long enough that she was almost late to get back to work. Almost. And when they brought in another broken, dark-haired cursebreaker, she excused herself from his room; she couldn’t bear another person commenting on her eyes.

Sam wasn’t home when she came home, but she decided that that might be better. She wrote a note for herself, saying that Sam was cheating, and that she was going to tell him that she knew, that she’d promised Ted he could break the curse if she didn’t remember later. She signed it with her childhood nickname, the one only her best friend knew, and tucked it into her jacket pocket. Then she waited for Sam.


	15. Sam

Sam hated waiting for Charlotte, but he'd done so far too much that month. So much that he was surprised to see her already home when he came in, even though he was late. "Hey baby." She was on the couch, so he went to kiss her. "How was your day?"

"Good." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Sam um, we need to talk."

"What's up?" He sat next to her. "Something wrong?"

"Yeah…" She looked at her hands, folded in her lap. "You're… You've been cheating on me."

He was worried she'd find out. "Charlotte, baby, Char, I— I would never." He hoped it would be enough.

It wasn't. "Don't lie to me. I saw you with her, in the car. I… Just tell me the truth. Who is she? What does she mean to you?"

He could make her forget, he thought, make her drop the subject. "Did you tell anyone?"

"Yeah, I talked to a friend about it, they're the one who said to ask you about it." She looked up at him. "I love you."

"I love you too." No making her forget, then; he'd have to talk himself out of this. "I just… I don't know why I did this, she doesn't mean anything, she's just cheap sex." He wrapped an arm around Charlotte. "I love you Char, I would never do anything to hurt you, I— Can you forgive me?"

She sighed. "Maybe." She leaned into him. "Who is she?"

"Just some girl. Her name is Zoey, she works at a coffee shop. She's— She's no one." He kissed her head. "I'm sorry."

"Why? Why would you do this? Am I not— Am I not enough for you?"

"Char, don't think like that." He lifted her head with one hand to look at her. "You're the love of my life. You will always be enough, I love you."

"Then why did you see her? Why did you have sex with her, why— Why did you even  _ look  _ at her like that?"

Sam was tempted to just make her drop the subject; not forget, just stop asking. But he did love her, and he figured he could at least try. "I don't… It was always just about sex. I…" He searched for words for a moment, just to stall. He knew what he had to say. "When I'm with you, when we have sex, I want you to enjoy it too, I want it to be about  _ us,  _ not just me, but that means it's less fun for me, I just don't enjoy that. And with Zoey I don't have to do that, so…"

Charlotte shook her head and freed herself from him. "You've never even asked," she said. "You're my husband, Sam, I— Don't you think I'd do something for you?" She stood up. "I love you and I, I can forgive this, but it's a lousy excuse and— And I won't forgive you next time." She was shaking slightly.

"Charlotte, baby…" Sam stood up as well. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I'll— I'm all yours, okay?"

"Okay." She kissed him. "Just ask me next time, okay?"

"Okay." He gave her a hug. "I'm sorry baby, I'll make dinner."

"Don't worry, I did before you came home." She smiled. "I won't be home tomorrow though, I'm going out with a friend."

"Alright." Sam wanted to ask her not to, but he also knew that now wasn't the time to make demands. Especially not if the  _ friend  _ in question was that damned cursebreaker that had her so charmed.

They spent the evening together, and Sam took the chance to ask. He didn't plan on not seeing Zoey, not really, but hey, if he could get what he wanted with Charlotte too, that was just a bonus.

He left early the next morning, before Charlotte was even awake, and went to see his former boss, Wright. "Captain?" Sam knocked on the doorframe to his office; the door itself was open. "Can we talk privately for a moment."

"Sure." Wright grinned at him. "Grab a seat, Sam, what's up?"

"It's Charlotte." Sam closed the door and sat down across from him. "I think I'm losing her."

"How? Thought you got her in an iron grip." Wright leaned back in his chair. "How can you be losing her?"

"She's… She's always out these days, and I think she's beginning to suspect me of magic. And she knows I'm cheating, and I told her I'd stop, but if she found out once, she can find out again."

"Sure, sure." Wright nodded. "Why not just make her forget?"

"She'd already told a friend, I think it's that damn cursebreaker. If I just made her forget they'd notice, it would be too obvious." Sam leaned back as well. "I don't know what to do, I mean, I could make her stop seeing him, but what's a wife without a personality?"

"Subservient," Wright replied, grinning slightly. "It's not as bad as you think. Lita is a lovely wife."

"I'm sure." Sam shook his head. "I don't know why I even talk to you about this, you're even more of a crook than I am."

"Sure, but I'm honest about it." Wright never dropped his grin, which became steadily creepier. "You try to pretend to be good."

"At least I'm not a rapist." Sam stood up. "I shouldn't have asked you. Enjoy your day."

"You too, Sam."

Sam left and went back to his own office. He and Wright were friends, but sometimes he regretted that. Sam wasn't much for ethics, but Wright was downright immoral; at least Sam had boundaries, even if they weren't always as strict as they could be. But he stuck to them.

He texted Zoey and asked if she had plans after work. If Charlotte wasn't coming home, he didn't have to, he decided. It wasn't the best idea he'd ever had, but it didn't matter; he wanted to see Zoey, and more than that, he wanted to ignore Charlotte.


	16. Ted

He picked up Charlotte so that they could go to the movies. Yes, Ted kind of imagined that it was a date, but Charlotte was pretty and nice and she held his hand too often and—

"Fuck." Ted was alone in his car, so he decided he was allowed a little profanity.

Charlotte was waiting for him outside and got in the car before he had time to get out. "Hi Ted." She smiled.

"Hey Charlotte." He smiled back at her. "Let's go." He pulled out of the parking lot. "How was your day?"

"Alright. It's been a busy day." She put a hand on his arm for a moment, and Ted concentrated on ignoring it. "How about you?"

"Fine, not much to do at work at the moment. Which is nice, it means I don't end up in the hospital." He took his eyes off the road for a fraction of a second to grin at her. "Did you talk to Sam?"

"Yeah, he's… He apologised and explained and promised not to see her again."

"You believe him?"

"I want to." She sighed. "I think… It was a problem and we talked about it and there's some kind of solution and… Yeah. I think it's fine."

"I'm happy for you." He tried to sound like he meant it, but landed somewhere around neutral. Better than bitter, he decided, which was mostly what he felt. "I'm still worried about who's controlling you, then, if it's not Sam."

"Yeah." She put a hand on his arm again. "I'm not really. I'm… I'm happy. Does it really matter?"

"Well, controlling someone to that extent is illegal, sorcery and influence is  _ very  _ restricted from a legal perspective. Compared to cursebreakers, who are regulated by magic." Ted shrugged her hand off. "Which is why I keep asking to break it, I'd like to know who it is."

"Would I know? If it was broken?"

"Yeah, probably." Ted parked the car at Lakeside and turned to look at her. "It would all be undone. I don't know if it would recover your sight, but everything you've forgotten and everything you did against your will, that would all be back. You'd know, trust me, when it's like that."

"Oh." Charlotte averted her eyes. "I don't think I'd like that very much."

"Why not?"

"I don't know… I'm happy. Knowing that my whole life has been a lie, well… I think I'm happier just knowing that it isn't."

Ted sighed. "Alright." He opened the car door. "Come on."

Ted paid for both movie tickets and tried to pretend like it didn't mean anything because, well, it didn't. It's just that he'd invited her, it was only polite. And when she rested her head against his arm, he tried to pretend like it was strictly platonic when he put an arm around her. Just to make her more comfortable. He didn't have himself fooled at all, but maybe he had her fooled. He hoped so.

The movie was as terribly cliché as expected, with people who were probably Ted's age or older playing teenagers, and mediocre acting at best. It was the kind of movie he'd take Abi to so they could yell about it later, or take a date to so they could make out in the back row. It was not the kind of movie he brought a strictly platonic friend to see, but that day it apparently was.

Charlotte smiled when they got out. "That was terrible," she said.

"I warned you." He grinned at her. "Thanks for coming with me. Normally I'd bring Abi, or someone who'd make out with me instead of watching, but this worked."

She shook her head at him. "Oh Ted. Don't you have better things to do?"

"Nope." He walked towards the car. "Hey, it's still pretty early, wanna grab dinner?"

"I don't know…"

"Sam isn't gonna be home yet anyway, you said he was coming home late." Ted put an arm around her again, trying to ignore his heartbeat speeding up. "Come on, those shitty salads at Richie's aren't gonna eat themselves."

"Alright Ted." She smiled and leaned in slightly. "Let's go." She walked off towards his car.

"Let's go." Ted followed her.

They drove to Richie's, a small, rather uninteresting diner, and got food. Ted was alright being with Charlotte like this, he thought, but every time she talked about Sam, he got slightly annoyed with himself. She didn't need to talk about Sam at all, he thought, but he had no right to be annoyed by it either. It wasn't a good place to be.

He drove Charlotte home after dinner. He gave her a hug in the car and smiled and said he'd see her soon. Then he drove to a local pub that he hadn't been to in a while.

"Ted!" The bartender, Kerrel, nodded at him. "Been a while."

"Been hospitalised." Ted shrugged. "The usual, please."

"Damn." Kerrel turned to pour the drink; a cosmopolitan, though Ted was never gonna say that out loud. "What for?"

"Uh, an unfortunate run-in with a necromancer." Ted waved dismissively. "It was more than a month ago, just uhh, rehab."

“That bad, huh?” Kerrel put the drink down. “Managed to hook up with any pretty nurses?”

Ted laughed; it wasn’t what he needed to talk about just then, but it was exactly what he expected from Kerrel. “Not yet. Got her number, still trying, but she’s married.”

Kerrel shook his head. “You need to give up on the ones with husbands, Ted. It never ends well for you.”   
“No, well, if her husband beats me up enough to end back in the hospital again, I’ll see her more.” Ted grinned. He knew full well that Sam wasn’t gonna rough him up in the slightest, but Kerrel was the kind of friend you shared details of your sex life with, certainly not the kind you talked feelings with. “I don’t think I have a chance, if I’m honest, but she’s a good friend anyway.”   
“You’re an idiot Ted.” Kerrel looked like he was about to say something else, but another customer entered.

Ted downed his drink and was gone before he returned, leaving enough cash on the bar to cover his drink and a decent tip.


	17. Charlotte

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm.... Sorry

Charlotte was not charmed by Ted, she told herself when she walked up the stairs after the movie. Then she sighed. She was, in fact, very charmed by Ted, but she loved Sam, she really did, and she didn’t want anyone else. Charm didn’t mean anything. The way she couldn’t help but smile back at him, even if she tried not to, didn’t mean anything. She was lying to herself, she knew, but not about all of it; she really did love Sam.

He wasn’t home when she got up. She’d kind of expected that, but it was still annoying. She wanted him to be home, wanted to spend time with him. Wanted to convince herself that she was more in love with him than with Ted.

He came home nearly two hours after her. “Hey baby.” He gave her a hug as soon as she went to greet him. “How was your day?”

“Okay.” She freed herself. “Sam, you smell like someone else’s perfume.” She took a proper look at him; she’d gotten new contacts the day before and could see far too well. “And you’re not very good at wiping away lipstick.”

Sam raised a hand to his mouth. “Charlotte, I—” He reached out to take her hand, fingers closing lightly around her wrist. “I’m so sorry.” He looked at her.

Charlotte smiled. “It’s alright. You’re home now, and that’s what matters.”

“Yeah.” He leaned in to kiss her. “Sorry I didn’t say how late I’d be home, time ran away from me.”

“It’s fine.” Charlotte couldn’t help but think about her agreeing to eat dinner with Ted, and was suddenly happy he was home late, even if she didn’t like that he hadn’t told her just how late. “Did you eat?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Did you?”

“I did.” Charlotte walked towards the bedroom. “It’s getting late, I just wanted to wait up for you.”

“Sure.” Sam followed her. “Thanks for waiting.”

“Of course.” She gave him a proper hug. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” He smiled and kissed her forehead, and Charlotte suddenly felt guilty about ever considering that she could love someone else as much as she loved Sam.

They went to bed and kissed each other goodnight, and within a few minutes, Sam was snoring lightly next to her.

Charlotte couldn’t sleep. She kept thinking about Ted, and Sam, and that other woman he’d been seeing, and if he’d really stopped, and Ted, and the dumb movie they’d watched, and Ted putting an arm around her and grinning, and Ted flirting with her just innocently enough to have an excuse, and the way she could feel her heartbeat speed up just slightly whenever he smiled at her.

By the time Sam’s alarm clock went off, she hadn’t yet closed her eyes. She pretended to be asleep anyway and waited for him to leave, coming in to kiss her goodbye before he left. Because he loved her. Because he always would.

The lack of sleep was getting to her, so she asked Ted to come for coffee that afternoon. He accepted, and they met at Beanie’s after her shift. “Hey.” She smiled at him.

“Hey.” He gave her a hug. “You alright? You look dead on your feet.”

“I’m alright.” She carefully stepped out of his embrace, ignoring how cold her shoulders suddenly felt. “I just didn’t sleep well.”

“That sucks.” Ted led the way inside. “What do you want? My treat, you look like you need coffee.”

“Uh, yeah. A mocha, thanks a lot.” She let him get in line and went and found a table for the instead.

“Here you go.” Ted sat down next to her and put her coffee down. “What’s up? Bad night?”

“Kind of.” Charlotte stirred two packs of sugar into her coffee. “Uhh, Sam came home late last night. Really late. And… I was so mad at him at first, but the moment he apologised, I just… Stopped being mad. It was fine. And it was, I really think it was, but it was a weird feeling and I don’t like it. I don’t even… I don’t remember what I said to him when he came in, but I remember how he looked. He looked… Scared, like he couldn’t believe what I was saying. I’ve told him off for not telling me when he’s home late before, so I don’t know what was different about last night.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I shouldn’t talk about this.”

“It’s fine.” Ted took her hand. “It’s fine. I have… A question that you’re not gonna like, is that okay?” Charlotte nodded. “Did you… When Sam came home, do you have a glitch in your memory? Like he was suddenly somewhere else than a second ago, or you were, or clothes or something, is there anything?”

Charlotte shook her head. Then she thought it through. “No, I don’t. Nothing weird like that. Why?”

“It tends to happen with memory alteration.” Ted shrugged and let her hand go. “They remove or alter what they need and forget all the details. It’s the easiest way to tell. It’s not a perfect method, some sorcerers are skilled enough to do it smoothly. But if you did have glitches in your memory, I’d be sure he’d altered them. Now I just think so.”

“He hasn’t. He wouldn’t.” Charlotte shook her head. “He loves me.”

“I’m sure he does.” Ted drank the rest of his iced tea in one. “That doesn’t mean he wouldn’t alter your memory.” He drummed on the table for a moment. “Do me a favour.”

“What?”

“Ask me to break the curse. You don’t have to mean it, you can even say not to immediately after, and I won’t do it, I just want to hear you say the words.” He took her hand again, meeting her eyes. “Please, Charlotte.”

She pretended like her heartbeat was perfectly steady as she looked at him and did what he asked.


	18. Sam

Sam knew he needed to be more careful. Charlotte had noticed Zoey, and sure, he could just keep making her forget, but memory alterations were difficult and took a lot of energy, and she’d notice eventually. They were so hard to keep unnoticeable.

He did add another little thread to the spell that night when he thought she was asleep. He didn’t like to do it, there were lines he only crossed when he was desperate, but he was desperate. He was losing Charlotte.

Zoey was waiting for him when he got to work that morning. “Hi Sam.” She was leaning against the wall outside of the station. “Can we talk for a moment?”   
“Sure.” He followed her around the building to an alcove where they could stand in relative privacy. “What’s up?”

“I’m sick of your shit.” She punched him lightly in the shoulder. “How’s your wife?”   
“She’s fine.”   
“You’re lying.” Zoey shook her head. “Stop fucking lying to me, okay, this is the problem. Not only am I your girl on the side, I can live with that, but you can only lie to one of us, and you chose Charlotte. So stop lying. What’s up?”

Sam sighed. Zoey was right, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. “She realised I’d been with you last night. I made her forget, but I’m gonna have to be more careful, I can’t keep doing that.”   
Zoey raised an eyebrow. “You could also just not cheat on your wife. Ever thought of that?” She pushed him again. “Probably haven’t.”   
“I thought you loved me,” Sam said instead of answering.   
“I do, but whatever. This isn’t about me. This is about you being a piece of shit who needs to figure out what the fuck he wants.”   
“Zoey—” Sam was interrupted by her kissing him, aggressively, pushing him against the wall.

“Listen.” Zoey still held him against the wall. “You’re a piece of shit, but you’re fucking hot, so I keep putting up with you. Don’t make me regret it.” She kissed him again.   
“Zoey I—”   
“No.” She stepped away. “Don’t  _ Zoey _ me, Emma does that enough. I need to go to work, call me when you get a grip.” She walked away without letting him say anything else.

Sam touched a hand to his lips, then shook his head. Zoey wasn’t wrong, per se, and she could be angry if she so wished, Sam just wasn’t used to anyone pushing back in a significant manner. He made a principle of never influencing Zoey, as literally the only person, because she had the least consequence in his life, and it was almost nice to know that someone was interested in him without him making them, but that didn’t mean he liked the fights.

He went to work and didn’t concentrate on anything. Paperwork. He wished he was on the streets, but he never was anymore; management didn’t like having him there, even though he was far more use out there than doing paperwork.

Charlotte texted him during lunch to say she was going for coffee with a friend after work and she’d be home an hour late. He looked at his phone for long enough that Wright asked him what was wrong. “Nothing.” Sam put the phone away. “Charlotte’s coming home a little later than planned, but it doesn’t matter.”   
Wright raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you just ask her to come home? If you want her home, keep her home, it’s easy.”   
Sam shook his head slightly; they were well within earshot of several of their colleagues. “I am not going to tell my wife what to do. She’s her own person. If she wishes to go out with a friend she can.” Ordinarily he’d mean it, but he knew it was that damned cursebreaker again, he just knew. He leaned closer to Wright to whisper. “I think she’s cheating.”   
“Well, so are you,” Wright whispered back. “Come on, we need to get back to work,” he said out loud.   
“You’re right.” Sam got up. “Hey, can you come back to my office? I have some papers I need you to take a look at.” It was a thin excuse at best, but it didn’t have to be good, it just had to exist.

“Of course.” Wright followed Sam to his office, closing the door. “What’s up?”

“Charlotte is seeing a cursebreaker.” Sam took the paper he’d found in Charlotte’s wallet and handed it to Wright. “I’d love to know who he is.”   
Wright looked at the paper for a moment. “Phone number?”   
“I suppose so. And a first name. Can you do something?”

“Not until tomorrow.” Wright pocketed the paper. “What are you gonna do to him?”   
“Nothing.” Sam shrugged. “Tell him to leave her alone, basically.”   
“Tell him or order him?” Wright shook his head. “Don’t tell me that. I’m bending a lot of rules for you, Sam.”   
“I’ve always bent rules for you.” Sam met Wright’s eyes. “Don’t think I won’t say you’ve blackmailed me into forcing confessions if you decide to let anyone know about this little favour.” Sam was aware that his friendship with Wright was largely built on mutual mistrust and blackmail, but it still wasn’t fun.

“Alright, I get it. I’ll see you later.”   
“See you.”   
Wright left, and Sam went to work.

He drove to the coffee shop Zoey worked at after work. He wasn’t sure if he’d figured things out the way she wanted him to, but he was pretty sure he’d figured enough out to convince her. And even if he hadn’t, he was pretty sure she’d still make out with him.

He forgot all about Zoey when he got up near Beanie’s. He could see Charlotte through the window, sitting next to a man he didn’t recognise, holding his hand.


	19. Ted

He held Charlotte's hand and watched her try to say the words. "I don't—" she began, then stopped abruptly.

"Just three words," Ted encouraged gently. "Break the curse. I promise you I won't, I just, I have a theory. Just try, please." The fact that he knew he was telling the truth, that he wouldn't break it even if she could say it, told him how certain he was.

"Okay Ted." Charlotte smiled softly. And kept smiling. And didn't open her mouth.

"Charlotte?"

"I can't." Her voice was a whisper.

Ted's heart sank; sure, it was what he'd hoped for, but the distress in her eyes cut deep. "He won't let you." He squeezed her hand slightly. "I suspected as much. It's… A safety measure."

"What does it mean?" Charlotte's hand tightened around his. "Is there anything you can do?"

"No." Ted wished he could say something else. "Not for this, that's… A little too much finesse for me." He thought of Abi. "I might know someone who can do something, but I can't guarantee anything." Charlotte was shaking, so he pulled her into a hug. "You'll be okay. You said yourself, you're happy, it's… Fine. Not good, but fine, right?" He disagreed, and he was already going over who he could ask, legal issues, but his first priority was to get Charlotte okay. Because he had to send her home.

"Right." She pulled away from the hug, biting her lip, and  _ fuck  _ Ted was so close to not caring. "Right. I'm happy, I just… It's too much." She smiled, and it was shaky and entirely for his sake, and Ted hated it. "I mean… I don't care, but it's just so obvious. He's always been so careful…" Her eyes lost focus, and she raised a hand to Ted's face. "Your heartbeat is racing." She smiled slightly, and this one was real.

"I'm worried," Ted replied, trying to sound convincing.

"You're lying."

"Yes." He smiled and leaned forward slightly. "But no, I  _ am _ worried, it's just not related to my heartbeat. I'm worried about you." It would be so easy to kiss her, and he wanted to, but it would be so useless. "Doesn't take an empath to see that you're having a bad day."

"I'm fine." She still hadn't focused her eyes, still half in tune to his body, and Ted found that he didn't mind. "You're… Nervous, almost."

"I get nervous around pretty women."

She smiled. "No you don't."

"One of them." He pulled her into another hug, forcing her to stop checking him out. "I'm fine." He kissed the top of her head. "Are you?"

"Yes." She pulled back to smile. "I mean it. I— I need to talk to Sam, but I think I'm fine. I know now, I can tell him… Everything. That I won't leave, that I love him, that—" She sighed. "That I'm angry."

"Charlotte…" Ted was still holding her hand, so he lifted it to his face. "You said my heart is racing. What else?"

She focused, her eyes going distant. "Your breathing is… Short. Like you're having a hard time with it. Entirely psychosomatic, of course, your lungs are fine." She smiled slightly. "Why am I doing this?"

"Keep going." It was a long shot, not to mention incredibly cheap, but it was something. "You don't have to tell me, just keep looking.

"You're excited." She laughed. "Relax your shoulders, Ted, nothing is happening." He tried to comply, which made her laugh. "Moving your tension isn't relaxing."

"I know." He smiled slightly. She'd get there, he knew it, he just had to wait. And try not to let her hand on his face affect him too much.

"You're an idiot, Ted." The voice was in his head, and very unwelcome.

"Paul," he thought back. "Get out of my head."

"Alright." Paul withdrew, but when Ted made eye contact with him across the room, he smiled.

"Oh." Charlotte's smile dropped. "You're… Oh."

"Oh," Ted repeated. "What are you finding in here?"

"Your brain, it's…" She searched for words. "Overactive. I'm not used to feeling this kind of emotion."

"What emotions?"

"I mean, I don't know, I can just tell what neurons are firing, what your hormone balance is, that kind of thing." She shrugged and smiled. "Oxytocin, dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline… Stress and closeness, usually." Her eyes snapped back to focus, barely there, far too much blue and too little black. "Love."

"Love," Ted agreed softly. He held her hand to his face. "Is it enough?"

"I don't— I— I love Sam, I— I don't want anyone else."

"You're convincing yourself more than me." He leaned forward again, and kissing her would be so  _ easy _ , and right now he thought she might even let him, but he didn't. "Do you love Sam? Or is Sam making you love him?"

"Ted, stop." She took her hand away, and Ted tried to ignore how cold his cheek felt. "I don't want—" She broke, a slight sob, and leaned into him. "I don't want to be alone."

"You don't have to." He pulled her close. "I'm not asking you to leave Sam. I'm asking you to please —  _ please  _ — let me deal with this. You can make your own choices then."

"I can't." She pulled back and just held his hand. "I can't ask, you know that."

"I know." He squeezed her hand and held her eyes. "I know, I'll—"

He wasn't expecting to be interrupted. He certainly wasn't expecting it to be because Charlotte pulled him in for a kiss, but he didn't mind, because she did. She put one hand on his face again and pulled his face to hers and kissed him, and Ted automatically brought his free hand up to rest over hers, until he realised that he'd rather wrap an arm around her waist and pull her closer.

Fuck it. He opened his eyes and snapped his fingers.


	20. Charlotte

Charlotte kissed Ted. It wasn't entirely planned, but she watched the desperation in his eyes, the love and concern, and her body acted on its own, without her consent, and she found that she didn't mind, because she'd probably wanted this for much longer than she'd expected.

She felt Ted lift his hand from her back, heard the snap of his fingers, and then reeled back from the assault on her mind; memories coming back, of Sam, asking her to do things, smoothing over his mistakes and letting her take the blame, Sam Sam Sam, always in the wrong, always controlling her, of decaying eyesight with each year, of the slightest sparks when he held her hand and sometimes even when he kissed her.

Ted was watching her, still holding her, still with his hand in hers, still with that look in his eyes halfway between concern and love, and Charlotte leaned in to connect their lips again, just for a moment. "You…" She couldn't help but smile. "You idiot." She was almost breathless. "What did you do?"

"What had to be done." There was no remorse in those eyes, those eyes that were cloudy, her vision blurring and becoming untangled, the way it did when she took her contacts out at night. "I'm sorry Charlotte."

"Ted I— I can't see." She clutched his hand tighter, suddenly afraid. "My vision is going."

"Take your contacts out." There was definitely a smile on that face. "Your pupils are back to normal." Her eyes focused on the smile when she took her contacts out and realised she could see. "You have beautiful eyes. Always have, but now that I'm not seeing how controlled you are…"

"You idiot!" She recoiled from him. "You— You sacrifice your powers you— You do this! For what?"

"For you." He was still smiling, but there was sadness in those eyes, too. "Because you kissed me. Because it was worth it, to know that you know. Charlotte I—" He took her hand. "I love you. And if you're mad at me that's fine, just, promise me you won't go back to Sam, now that you know. He can do this again if you go back, Charlotte, just promise me."

"I won't." She smiled. "I— Thank you. It's not— I didn't think this is what I wanted. But thank you."

"You're welcome." He faded, his hand in hers becoming insubstantial. "I think this is what you wanted." There was a smile on his face, the ghost of him she could see, and it stayed as he faded back into existence. "I think this is exactly what you wanted."

"I didn't, I wanted— I wanted Sam."

"And now?"

"I don't know." She clutched his hand tighter. "I want… You."

"Oh you've had me for a long time." The smile veered into a grin. "But I shouldn't be able to fade if you didn't let me break it. And you kissed me before I did."

"Yes." She nodded slightly, because she had. "I guess he forgot. I guess… I guess it never occurred to him that I would cheat."

"It was him then? Sam?" There was a wall in Ted's eyes, one she found herself wanting gone. "He's the one who did this to you?"

"He… Yes." She figured there was no use in lying. "Yes, you were right. He… He made me say yes to that first date, although I would have anyway, so that's not… He made me ask to get married. I always thought— But—"

"He's smart." Ted leaned in to kiss her again, very quickly. "He knew people would notice, so he made sure he couldn't get blamed, and that you couldn't have it broken."

"I guess." She looked at their hands, intertwined, her wedding ring, the fingers between hers that weren't her husband's. "I don't know anymore, Ted. This will take time… To process, to… I don't know."

"It's alright." He smiled. "We have time. Just… Don't go back there alone, okay? He can still take you back."

"No, I won't, I'll… I'll ask Melissa or someone. Don't worry." She managed what she thought might be a grin at his disappointed expression. "If I take you, he'll think I've been cheating. Then again, he will anyway."

"Exactly. Might as well." Ted grinned. "Do you have a place to go?"

"I don't know…" She shrugged. "I'll find something."

"Come back to mine." His hand was suddenly on her cheek, and she couldn't help but lean her head slightly into the touch. "I'll tell Abi to stay home for a while if you don't wanna share a bed, but… I want you to come with me." There was so much softness in his smile, and Charlotte melted.

"Of course." She smiled. "Yeah, I— I think that might be nice, I—"

She was interrupted by Ted kissing her. "Thank you." His eyes were positively shining.

"For what?"

"For not hating me." That soft smile never left his face, and Charlotte realised that she never wanted it to.

"I couldn't hate you. I love you."

"I love you too."

One of the baristas, an extremely pretty, dark-haired girl came over to their table. "Hey, I kinda didn't wanna have to do this, hi Charlotte, Sam is outside and he's watching you."

"Oh." Charlotte let go of Ted immediately. "Oh, thank you, um— Who are you?"

"My name is Zoey." The barista had an eye on the window. "And Sam is headed in here, so I'm gonna go deal with that." She looked directly at Charlotte. "You deserve much better than him, and I'm happy you're getting it." Then she was gone.

Charlotte looked after her, and sure enough, Sam was marching up to the door, the barista stopping him a few steps away, hand on his chest. "I think it's her," she said. "That he's been seeing."

"Might be." Ted looked at her, all concern and soft fondness. "Are you okay?"

"I— I think I will be."


	21. Sam

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last proper chapter! There's an epilogue going up tomorrow, but it's a whole lot shorter and generally different

He watched through the window as Charlotte kissed this stranger — that damned cursebreaker, no doubt — and watched him snap his fingers. Then there were a few minutes of Sam not seeing very much at all as he felt a solid half of his spells snap and break, just like that. He hadn't expected anyone to sacrifice their powers for Charlotte, the only reason he felt safe, but he'd been wrong. Because she couldn't have asked, he made sure of it, so this cursebreaker gave it up for her. And judging by the way he smiled at her when Sam's vision returned, he didn't regret it.

Sam began making his way towards the entrance when he saw Zoey speaking to Charlotte and the other guy. There had been more kisses, more soft smiles and tender touches, and Sam saw red.

Zoey walked out and stopped him with a hand on his chest. "Hi Sam." She smiled.

"Get out of the way," he said, pushing her.

She stood her ground. "No. I'm not letting you in there."

"Why not?" He stopped trying and looked at her. "My wife is in there cheating on me."

"And you're out here cheating on her." Zoey leaned up to kiss him. "Leave her be, Sam. She's better without you."

"I'm better with her."

"It doesn't matter." Zoey wrapped her arms around him. "It doesn't matter."

"It matters." Sam took a moment to pull her closer. "It matters to me. I love her, I want her."

"She doesn't want you, Sam!" Zoey pulled back, and there were tears in her eyes. "Don't you get it? Are you really that far up your own ass? She doesn't want you, and the way you've been treating her, I don't blame her. But I'm right here, and I'll do it. Everything she's done for you, I can do it. All of it. I'm right here, just… Just let it be me." She was fully crying now.

"Zoey…" He pulled her into a hug. "I can't just let that pass."

"Yes you can." She put both hands on his chest and pushed him away. "You know full well how many laws you've broken doing this to Charlotte, and who knows what else. I know it too, and so does Charlotte, and so does that guy. But we can talk to them and hopefully we can find a compromise, but not if you're gonna be a dick." She stared at him.

"I love you." He kissed her. Sure, it probably wasn't entirely true, but it was close enough, and it worked. She smiled when he pulled away. "Alright fine. I'll talk to them." He freed himself from her and began walking towards the door, notably calmer.

"Sam." Zoey stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Just talk. Even if you can't find a compromise, you just walk out of there. I'm not coming to visit you in jail."

"No." He nodded. "Okay. Just talk. Fine."

They walked into Beanie's. Zoey went and sat down next to Charlotte. "We're just gonna talk," she said. She gestured for Sam to sit across from them. "No reason to let this escalate."

Sam nodded. "Charlotte," he said curtly.

"Hi Sam." She smiled weakly. "What is there to talk about."

"I think there's plenty." The man who'd been with Charlotte leaned across the table. "You must be Sam. I'm Ted." Sam nodded, so Ted continued. "You've been influencing Charlotte for… How long?" He looked at Charlotte.

"Since our first date," she replied. She was holding Ted's hand like it would keep her from falling off a cliff. "The entire time."

"Right." He looked at Sam. "You're with the police, I'm sure you know just how illegal this is."

"I know, but—" Sam stopped himself. He just needed to get Charlotte alone. "I didn't think I had any other choice."

"Sam… I love you, you know that." Charlotte leaned over and reached for his hand, not letting go of Ted. He let her take it. "I love you. I can't forgive this, but I did love you, and all of this was entirely unnecessary."

"I know." Sam feigned shame, but he knew he wasn't going to win this one. "I wish I had a better excuse, I really do. But I am gonna let this go." He looked at Zoey, just to sell it. "I always promised you a real date, didn't I?"

"You did." Zoey nodded, then looked at Charlotte. "I'm sorry I slept with your husband. You deserved a lot better than that."

Charlotte nodded and smiled at Zoey. "You, I can forgive." She glanced at Sam and then back at Zoey. "Be careful. You seem like a nice girl, he's not a nice man."

"I know." Zoey smiled at Sam. "But you can forgive a lot for love."

Ted leaned over and handed Zoey a paper he'd been scrawling on. "If you ever suspect anything from him, let me know." Then he looked at Sam, and his expression. "If I  _ ever  _ see Zoey with eyes as ruined as Charlotte's were, I'm calling the police. If you ever try to contact me or Charlotte again, I'm calling the police. Understood?"

"Understood." Sam didn't want this, but he could be patient. It would only take a moment. "I'll leave you alone." He stood up, then looked at Zoey. "When are you off?"

"Half an hour." She stood up as well. "Do you want anything?" She began walking towards the counter, Sam following.

He could hear Charlotte and Ted having a whispered conversation behind him, but he ignored it. "Can I have a latte?" Maybe, he thought, just maybe, he could be okay with Zoey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I'm far too nice to him


	22. Epilogue — Zoey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is it

Charlotte moved her things out of Sam's house in the morning, and that same afternoon, Zoey moved her things in. She and Ted agreed not to leave Sam alone with Charlotte, so they were both there as she collected her things, Zoey shadowing Sam, and Ted shadowing Charlotte. It worked.

And it kept working. Sam stopped talking about Charlotte after a few weeks. Zoey wasn't an idiot, her vision was periodically fading, but it was never as bad as what he'd done to Charlotte. She knew this because every time she noticed, she'd text Ted and he'd come by Beanie's and break it. Then they'd talk; she'd ask how Charlotte was doing, and he told her that she'd moved in with him permanently. He told her about his plans for their first anniversary when it came around. She, in turn, told him about Sam. About how much he asked. About the tiny things he used his powers for; mostly calming her down when she was upset or angry. Ted still wanted to call the police, but Zoey said no; the moment he saw her eyes fade without her asking him, then he could, but not before. He didn't look like he agreed, but he promised.

Some days, Charlotte would come in, shy and timid, but always with an extra smile for Zoey. She never asked about Sam, but Zoey couldn't blame her.

She got the impression that all four of them were happy, in their own ways, and she was okay with that.


End file.
